Method for producing silver coated superconducting ceramic powder
AssigneeThe United States of America as represented by the Secretary of the Navy
InventorWilliam Ferrando
Life of this patent
Estimating the term…
Abstract
A process for silver coating superconducting ceramic powder by (1) coating the superconducting ceramic powder particles with AgNO.sub.3 ; (2) melting the AgNO.sub.3 so that it wets and forms a uniform coating over the surfaces of the particles; and (3) decomposing the AgNO.sub.3 to form a thin, uniform coating of silver metal on the surfaces of the particles. The product is a loose powder of the superconducting ceramic particles which are uniformly coated with silver metal. The powder can be cold worked (e.g., swaged, forged, etc.) to form superconducting structures such as rods or wires.
Claims15
A process for coating superconducting ceramic powders with silver metal comprising:
- (1) coating superconducting ceramic powder particles with AgNO.sub.3 ;
- (2) heating the AgNO.sub.3 -coated superconducting ceramic powder at a temperature above the melting point of AgNO.sub.3 but below the decomposition temperature of AgNO.sub.3 until the AgNO.sub.3 melts and forms a uniform coating over the surfaces of the superconducting ceramic particles;
- and
- (3) heating the molten AgNO.sub.3 -coated superconducting ceramic powder at a temperature from the decomposition temperature of AgNO.sub.3 to 50.degree. C. below the melting point of the superconducting ceramic powder until the AgNO.sub.3 decomposes to form a thin, uniform coating of silver metal over the surfaces of the superconducting ceramic powder particles;
- wherein an amount of AgNO.sub.3 is used in step (1) which will produce upon decomposition a silver metal coated superconducting ceramic powder composite comprising from about 1 to about 25 weight percent silver metal with the remainder being the superconducting ceramic.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.