A novel technique for developing composite substrates used in YBCO coated conductors

We report on a novel technique of sparking plasma sintering to prepare Ni–W alloy composite substrates with strong cube texture, high yield strength and reduced magnetization for coated conductors. It was found that an outer Ni–5 at.% W layer in as-obtained composite substrates has a sharp and pure cube texture, while the use of the Ni alloy with high W content in the core of the composite substrates not only enhances the mechanical property, but also degrades the ferromagnetism of the whole substrates.