Microstructure, texture and magnetic properties of Ni-Cu-W substrates for coated conductors

The microstructure, texture, hardness and magnetization have been investigated in a series of strongly cube-textured (Ni95W 5)100-xCux samples with x=0, 5, 10 and 15 at% Cu. It is found that the addition of 5 at% Cu to the Ni-5 at% W alloy results in a substantial decrease of the Curie temperature and in a reduction of the saturation magnetization without significant modification of the microstructure and the texture. This additionally alloyed material is only slightly softer than the Ni-5 at% W substrate. Although the Curie temperature and saturation magnetization decrease in the samples with higher concentrations of copper, increasing the Cu-content to 10 at% and 15 at% leads to increased frequencies of annealing twins in the cube-textured matrix. It is suggested that the (Ni 95W5)100-xCux alloy with x=5 at% Cu may be a good candidate material for using as a substrate for coated conductors. © 2012 Elsevier B.V.