Industrial Cu-Ni alloys for HTS coated conductor tape

Copper rich Cu-Ni alloys have been textured with the RABiTS method in order to get non-magnetic and cost efficient substrates for coated conductor wires. The study is focused on two industrial compositions: Cu₅₅Ni₄₅ (Constantan) and Cu₇₀Ni₃₀. Studies on surface roughness have been done. The effects of annealing conditions (temperature and atmosphere) on the grain boundaries deepness were analyzed. Electrolytic polishing was also applied to improve the surface quality. RX pole figures and micro hardness measurements have been achieved on samples annealed up to 950°C. Attention has been paid to the rolling texture and to the annealing processes. The rolling texture has been found to be mainly copper-type (C, S and B contributions). Beginning of recrystallization occurred between 400°C and 600°C and stabilized between 900°C to 950°C, depending on the nickel content of the alloy. Finally both samples, rolled and annealed under the appropriate conditions, have been characterized. Pole figure measurements gave the global in plane and out of plane disorientations of our samples which are in-plane 7.4° and out-plane (RD) 4.3° for both samples. EBSD maps have shown the details of the distribution and have allowed us to quantify the ratio between cubic {100}<001> and twined {122}<21-2> orientations.