Method and apparatus for the enhancement of superconductive materials

A method of enhancing the volume percentage of a selected superconductive phase in a multiphase material having at least one superconductive phase, said method comprising the steps of:

• providing the mutiphase material as a mixture of fine granules;
• applying a magnetic field to the mixture at a temperature above the transition temperature of said selected superconductive phase such that the field completely penetrates the phases of the material including said selected superconductive phase;
• changing the temperature of the mixture to a temperature where at least the selected superconductive phase exhibits superconductivity to exert a diamagnetic force selectively upon the granules containing the selected superconductive phase;
• and
• separating from the mixture at least a portion of said granules containing the selected superconductive phase on which said diamagnetic force was exerted.

Apparatus for separating a se1ected superconductive phase from a granular multiphase material wherein granules contain different volume percentages of said selected superconductive phase, said apparatus comprising:

• a nonmagnetic inclinded slide for applying a resultant gravitational force to material thereon causing said material to move by gravity in a first normal direction in a first normal path, wherein the amplitude of the resultant gavitational force is determined by the inclination of said slide;
• means for controlling the temperature of said material on the slide to where at least said superconductive phase granules are superconducting;
• magnet means for applying a magnetic field to said material on the slide such that at least a portion of any said selected superconductive phase granules on the slide are deflected from said first normal path to a second selected path by diamagnetic force;
• and
• means for collecting said deflected superconducting phase granules.

Apparatus for separating a selected superconductive phase from a granular multiphase material wherein granules contain different volume percentages of said selected superconductive phase, said apparatus comprising:

• a nonmagnetic inclined slide for applying a resultant gravitational force to material thereon causing said material to move by gravity in a first normal direction in a first normal path, whereby the amplitude of the resultant gravitational force is determined by the inclinaton of said slide;
• magnet means for applying a magnetic field to the mixture such said granules including these containing said selected superconductive phase area penetrated thereby;
• means for changing the temperature of the mixture of the slide to a temperature where at least said superconductive phase is superconducting such that at least a portion of any of said granules containing said selected superconductive phase on the slide is deflected from said first normal path to a second selected path by diamagnetic force;
• and
• means for collecting said deflected superconductive phase granules.

Apparatus for separating a selected superconductive phase from a comminuted granular multiphase material containing a volume percentage of the selected superconductive phase granules and a volume percentage of other phase granules, said apparatus comprising:

• means for maintaining the material at a temperature where at least the selected superconductive phase granules exhibit superconductivity;
• means for applying an initial force which acts on the selected superconductive phase granules and other phase granules equally, said initial force capable of moving said material in a first normal direction;
• means for forming a magnetic field which is substantially zero at a center location and increases in intensity and gradient radially outward therefrom, said field being elongated along a central axis passing through said center location, said axis being positioned such that it intersects said first normal direction but is not coincident therewith;
• and
• wherein said magnetic field forming means deflects at least said selected superconductive phase granules from said first normal direction along said axis to separate them from said other phase granules which continue to move in said first normal direction.