Abstract: The invention features a superconducting conductor for use in a preselected fluid cryogen including a composite ceramic superconducting wire having an outer surface along its length; and a sealing structure hermetically surrounding the outer surface to prevent the cryogen from infiltrating into the wire and degrading its superconducting properties, even under pressurized conditions. The superconducting conductor can be used in superconducting cabling and coil applications. The sealing structure can be formed by laminating metallic tapes to the wire, encircling at least one metallic sheet around the outer surface of the wire, welding a plurality of metallic sheets to one another to encircle the outer surface of the wire, or forming a polymer coating completely covering the outer surface of the wire.

Abstract: The invention relates to a processing method for fabricating a superconducting magnetic coil using a mandrel having a consumable component. When exposed to a final processing step, the consumable component is mechanically weakened through oxidation or thermal decomposition. The mandrel can then be easily removed from the coil without straining the conductor, thus preserving the coil's electrical and mechanical properties.