Periodic Reporting for period 1 - SMS-INKS (Scalable Method for Synthesis of multifunctional colloidal INKs for Superconductors)
Reporting period: 2022-12-01 to 2024-11-30
Global warming is one of the greatest challenges facing society today, necessitating a fundamental shift in the energy paradigm to significantly reduce CO2 emissions. In this context, ensuring a sustainable electricity supply is a key priority for the near future, particularly as the demand for renewable energy continues to rise to mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and meet growing global energy needs. Superconductivity is gaining worldwide attention for its potential in clean energy technologies, as superconductors enable efficient energy harvesting and power transmission with minimal losses. However, the widespread adoption of high-temperature superconductors for large-scale applications is currently limited by the high cost-to-performance ratio of existing manufacturing processes. To address this, we have developed an innovative method that integrates the cost-effectiveness of chemical solution deposition (CSD) with the ultra-fast crystallization rates of Transient Liquid Assisted Growth (TLAG). A critical element of the TLAG process is the use of CSD metalorganic precursor solutions and oxide nanoparticles to produce colloidal inks. The manufacturing industry of superconducting Coated Conductors requires the supply of robust, stable and reproducible colloidal inks in large quantities (several litres). However, there remains an unmet need for a standardized and commercially viable approach to scaling up colloidal inks, initially dThe technical and scientific efforts have focused on demonstrating the feasibility and scalability of a novel method for synthesizing multifunctional colloidal inks used in the fabrication of superconducting coated conductors, particularly for the Transient Liquid Assisted Growth (TLAG) process. The project successfully developed a scalable production method for all ink components—including nanoparticles, precursor salts, and colloidal inks—and validated the process for producing 1 liter of multifunctional colloidal ink, sufficient for 1 km of coated conductor with a 1-micron-thick superconducting layer. This scaling was conducted in a certified pre-pilot plant, with a successful six-month stability study completed during the project's final phase. The synthesized ink was subsequently validated by fabricating high-performance superconducting layers and coated conductors.eveloped at the laboratory level. This project focused on demonstrating the large-scale production of multifunctional colloidal inks essential for the TLAG process.
The technical and scientific efforts have focused on demonstrating the feasibility and scalability of a novel method for synthesizing multifunctional colloidal inks used in the fabrication of superconducting coated conductors, particularly for the Transient Liquid Assisted Growth (TLAG) process. The project successfully developed a scalable production method for all ink components—including nanoparticles, precursor salts, and colloidal inks—and validated the process for producing 1 liter of multifunctional colloidal ink, sufficient for 1 km of coated conductor with a 1-micron-thick superconducting layer. This scaling was conducted in a certified pre-pilot plant, with a successful six-month stability study completed during the project's final phase. The synthesized ink was subsequently validated by fabricating high-performance superconducting layers and coated conductors.
The successful up-scaling of inks plays a key role in advancing the industrialization of the TLAG process, which currently offers the highest throughput available. As a result, it has strong potential to improve the cost/performance ratio for large-scale production of coated conductors. Consequently, TLAG is gaining traction in the industry, with discussions already underway.