Raymond J. Suplinskas

The Effect of Dopant Additions on the Microstructure of Boron Fibers Before and After Reaction to MgB2

Boron fibers made by a commercial chemical vapor deposition (CVD) process have been used as precursors for the formation of magnesium diboride (MgB2) superconducting wires. Prior to a reaction with magnesium, the addition of dopants such as carbon and titanium to the boron fiber has been shown to enhance the superconducting properties of MgB2. These dopants also influence the kinetics of the reaction with magnesium. In this study, the effect of carbon dopant additions on the microstructure of boron fibers was investigated using powder x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy (SEM) and transmission electron microscopy (TEM). Additionally, bundles of boron fibers were pressure infiltrated with molten magnesium and reacted at elevated temperatures. The microstructure and microchemistry of the fiber-metal interfaces were investigated by TEM and energy dispersive x-ray analysis (EDS).