Superconducting tapes are key for the development of clean energy and, in particular, for magnetic confinement fusion, since these tapes allow efficient energy transport and the generation of ultra-high magnetic fields.

Advancing research in this strategic area requires overcoming important scientific challenges that require research tools that can only be found at synchrotrons. In particular, progress in obtaining competitive superconducting tapes requires new manufacturing processes with higher performance and lower cost, such as the process being developed by the ICMAB-CSIC called TLAG (Transient Liquid Assisted Growth).

Within the framework of this research, the ICMAB-CSIC Superconductivity group, together with the ALBA synchrotron, has just demonstrated the opportunity and complementarity of the CLAESS beamline, in the study of the ultra-fast and low-cost TLAG growth process of superconducting tapes, using the in situ growth platform developed within the framework of the PTI+ TransEner, funded with European NextGenerationEU funds and the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan.

Team of ICMAB-CSIC researchers in the CLAESS control room, performing and analysing the results obtained with synchrotron light. From left to right, Elzbieta Pach, Cornelia Pop, Ona Mola, Victor Fuentes, Carla Torres and Emma Ghiara. Vittorio Bertini, Xavier Obradors and Teresa Puig complete the team for these experiments. | ICMAB, CSIC

ICMAB-CSIC and ALBA had already demonstrated the capability of this in situ growth platform for the study of the new TLAG fabrication process using time resolved X-ray diffraction experiments at the NCD-SWEET beamline, and have now shown that further advances can be made by their complementary X-ray absorption experiments at the CLAESS beamline. Unconventional XANES experiments (at CLAESS) have been carried out at a fixed energy across the Cu K-edge with data acquisition every 0.1 seconds.

This fact allows correlating the results of the scattering and spectroscopic beamlines when ultrafast growth occurs in situ. The crystalline structure (NCD-SWEET) and the electronic structure (CLAESS) of the tapes are investigated on the one hand and, on the other, a very complete analysis of the growth mechanisms associated with the new TLAG methodology is generated.

The commitment of ALBA and CSIC in the creation of the joint laboratory (Battery Lab), where this platform is permanently located in situ and where samples for synchrotron light experiments can be prepared, is boosting this research.

Read the press release in ENG, ESP and CAT here. 

Read more:

• ICMAB - Joint CSIC-ALBA Laboratory opens to drive sustainable energy solutions (Oct 2023)
• ICMAB - ICMAB researchers at the Scientific Conference of the PTI+ TransEner (March 2023)
• ICMAB - ICMAB researchers perform the first experiments in the new NOTOS beamline at ALBA synchrotron (May 2022)
• ICMAB - Test bench at ALBA Synchrotron for green energy applications within the CSIC PTI+ TransEner (March 2022)