This paper summarizes an NIH-funded research project designed to study the strength of high temperature superconductors under high circumferential hoop stress, in order to qualify these materials for high-field (> 1 GHz-class NMR magnets. The unique approach presented here is to spin test coils at high rotational speeds, approaching 50,000 rpm, in order to induce the necessary hoop stress. Bi-2212 wires and coils were tested in sub-cooled nitrogen, and additional small sample testing of critical current and magnetic hysteresis was performed to fully characterize these materials.

Keywords: Bi-2212, superconductor, coil, ac loss