Radiation Aging Effect on Electrical Properties of Superconductive Magnet Wires

This paper focuses on the effect of high dose radiation on the electric insulation of superconducting wires used in particle accelerator magnets. The analysis focuses on the evolution of the electrical properties, due to radiation doses, of the poly-vinyl acetate (PVA) insulation of these wires, particularly complex permittivity. This aims at verifying the suitability of the dielectric spectroscopy technique as a nondestructive approach for the aging assessment of these wires, usually placed in inaccessible areas. This is achieved by comparing results coming from complex permittivity with oxidation buildup obtained through Fourier Transform Infra-Red (FTIR) spectroscopy.