A defect detection method for MgB2 superconducting and iron-based Ba(Fe,Co)2As2 wires

In this article, a method allowing for the detection of damage in iron-based superconducting bulks and MgB2 wires is presented. MgB2 wires were made of in situ material with ex situ MgB2 barrier. The iron superconductor studied was Ba(Fe,Co)2As2. This material was surrounded by Nb barrier and placed inside an iron tube. All samples were annealed in the isostatic pressure of 1 GPa. Transport measurements were made using a four-contact probe. The transition of Nb and ex situ MgB2 barrier from superconducting into resistive state (first transition) was observed at a temperature range from 5 K to 10 K and can be attributed to damage in either the Nb or ex situ MgB2 barrier in these samples. For samples with a damaged barrier, it was not possible to determine the critical current density of the wires. The analysis indicates that annealing at 1 GPa leads to the Ba(Fe,Co)2As2 material with critical temperatures of 27 K and 21.5 K at upper critical flux density (Bc2) of 14 T.