Conductor materials for high field magnets

High field magnets require the development and fabrication of large quantities of wire which possess both high strength and high electrical conductivity (the latter is usually expressed as a percentage of the IACS, international annealed copper standard, where 100%IACS = 1.7241 μ cm). This combination of properties can be obtained by the co-deformation of a variety of materials either in macroscopic form or in the form of as-solidified composites. A number of these materials have strength levels close to the theoretical strength and thus require detailed consideration of the mechanisms of strengthening which operate in materials with ultra fine scale microstructures. In addition, consideration must be given to the development of rational systems of design for the selection and fabrication of materials for use in high field magnets.