I really want to make a host out of this material. There's only one problem...

[Dr_Evil]

It cost $100 per inch. Then there's the fees for the person that machines it.

 

[m3vuv]

what the hell is it?

 

[hakzaw1]

Is that carbon fiber inside Cu?

 

[ElectricPlasma]

I don't know much about this material but I believe it's called superconductor rod. AFAIK it's Nb-Ti (the grayish looking material), a type of superconductor, encased in copper. Regular copper and aluminum hosts might be the more economical choice

 

[RedCowboy]

Graphene filled copper, rather copper with graphene heat pipes.

 

[Dr_Evil]

This what's inside the copper. https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Niobium–titanium

 

[Xquantumtheory2019]

I don't know much about this material but I believe it's called superconductor rod. AFAIK it's Nb-Ti (the grayish looking material), a type of superconductor, encased in copper. Regular copper and aluminum hosts might be the more economical choice

Honestly that wouldn't be any better for heat transfer. The superconducting properties are only achieved when the metal is cooled to about 10 degrees Kelvin which is very very cold. Now carbon nanotube woven into a material similar to carbon fiber would be amazing as I have seen a piece cut through an ice cube just from the heat generated from a person's hand. But it would probably only work if it were surrounded by a piece of thick copper so the heat could be transferred to something that wouldn't hold the heat so well

 

[hakzaw1]

carbon fiber inside copper?

 

[hakzaw1]

carbon fiber inside copper?

 

[Immo1282]

That is some beefy Nb-Ti cabling... I visited CERN in 2013, and they had some bits of the Nb-Ti superconductors on the LHC ring to show us on the tour - a thin cable of Nb-Ti about the diameter of a pencil was rated for 13,500A of current when cooled. Equivalent copper bundle had a diameter of ~100mm and weighed an absolute ton.

You'd want to turn down the OD of that so you exposed the Nb-Ti right? Otherwise you might as well just use copper round bar stock

 

[BowtieGuy]

It definitely has a beautiful look to it when machined, too bad it's so damn expensive!
If I were to make a host from this material, it would be for it's looks and not for any possible thermal improvement over plain copper.

 

[paul1598419]

At $100 per inch, this discussion is just academic. Who is going to pay that for host stock?

 

[Immo1282]

I suppose the question becomes - is there a similar material that's less exotic that can be welded with copper in this way? i.e showing that same aesthetic but not costing as much?

 

[BowtieGuy]

At $100 per inch, this discussion is just academic. Who is going to pay that for host stock?

You're right of course, but it's nice to dream about on a slow Sunday on the forum.
This discussion reminds me of those sterling silver hosts that a member had made a few years ago with the help of a jeweler, they even had emeralds imbedded in them!

Edit: Not to derail this thread, but Here is a thread showing one of those silver hosts.

 

[paul1598419]

Sterling would be much cheaper than this and is also a better thermal conductor than copper. The emeralds don't add much, but can be quite inexpensive if they aren't natural high quality stones.

 

[RedCowboy]

How about 24Kgold coated Ti................Actually solid 18K gold would be nice and it would have a hefty feel, in hand and wallet.

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