Nuclear magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) and particle accelerator applications. Niobium-titanium alloy is one of the representatives of low-temperature superconducting materials and is still widely used in medical MRI equipment and large-scale scientific research facilities (such as the particle accelerator of CERN) at present. Recently, a research team has further increased the critical current density under a strong magnetic field and enhanced the stability of superconducting performance by optimizing the alloy proportion (usually Nb-47wt%Ti) and the heat treatment process.
High-temperature superconducting competition: Although niobium-titanium alloys perform exceptionally well at 4.2K (liquid helium temperature), the development of high-temperature superconducting materials (such as yttrium barium copper oxide) may pose challenges to their long-term application. However, due to the processing maturity and cost advantages of niobium-titanium alloys, they remain irreplaceable in the short term.
Niobium-titanium alloys for aerospace and military applications have attracted attention in aerospace engine components and satellite structural parts due to their high strength, corrosion resistance and low-temperature toughness. NASA of the United States has recently tested a new type of Nb-Ti-based composite material, which may be used in the cryogenic fuel storage system of deep space probes. Stealth technology: Some studies have explored the potential application of niobium-titanium alloys in radar absorbing materials, but their actual effects still need to be verified.
A German research team has successfully 3D printed high-performance niobium-titanium alloy components through laser powder bed melting (LPBF) technology, opening up a new path for the customized production of complex-shaped superconducting magnets. This technology may accelerate the miniaturization process of nuclear magnetic resonance equipment.
