Transverse mechanical properties of BSCCO/Ag multifilamentary tapes

In a motor or magnet coil, the conductor experiences stresses both longitudinally and transversely to its length. Longitudinal tension is the most familiar stress configuration because of the well-known Lorentz force or hoop stress. Tension perpendicular to the flat face of a tape, termed c-axis tension, can result from Lorentz stresses in a potted pancake coil structure. While much is known about the response of multifilamentary BSCCO tapes to longitudinal tension, relatively little work has been done on the response to transverse stress. We report here measurements of the strength under c-axis tension at room temperature and 77 K of multifilamentary BSCCO-2223 tape, and a 3-ply reinforced tape.