Research on superconducting materials by Dr. Wu spans both materials research and energy. This research has been supported by the KU Energy Research Center in its early stages and is now gained state and national recognition. Specifically, KU has taken a leading role in development of Hg-based HTS (the superconductor with the highest superconducting transition temperature). An example of the national effort is a joint project on high temperature superconductor (HTS) coated conductors underway between the KU Department of Physics and Astronomy, Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), and Los Alamos National Laboratory. The goal of this project is to develop the next generation superconducting tapes with high current carrying capability and liquid nitrogen operation temperature. This joint effort between KU and the national labs aims at achieving Hg-HTS tapes that could be used at temperatures above 100 Kelvin (-280 F). Since January 1999, Graduate student Tolga Aytug from KU has worked on the project at ORNL. Preliminary results are promising and were presented in an invited paper by Dr. Wu, in December1999 in Boston at the annual Fall meeting of the American Material Research Society.
A proposal on this topic was submitted to DOE in July 1999 and is currently under review. An invited white paper about this coated conductor research was submitted to the US Air Force Office of Scientific Research (AFOSR) offering the possibility of funding and an invitation for a formal proposal has been received recently. Total new funding sought in this phase of development is in the range of $0.5M.