Fabrication and superconducting properties of nano-SiC doped MgB2 tapes

Nano-SiC doped MgB2 tapes were prepared by the in situ powder-in-tube method. Heat treatment was performed at 650°C for 1 h. XRD data indicate that SiC particles had reacted with the MgB2 during sintering process. MgB2 core seemed to be denser after SiC doping, and the critical temperature was slightly depressed. The critical current density J c of the SiC doped tapes was significantly enhanced in magnetic fields up to 14 T compared to the undoped ones. For the 5% SiC doped samples, J c was increased by a factor of 32 at 4.2 K, 10 T. The enhancement of J c-B properties in SiC doped MgB2 tapes is considered to be due to the enhancement of grain linkages and the introduction of effective flux pining centers. The substitution of B by C in MgB2 grains is thought to be the main reason for the improvement of the flux pinning ability in SiC doped MgB2 tapes.