Value Proposition
The key innovation of this technology is the use of magnesium diboride (MgB2) as the superconducting material to create a high current carrying wire at a significantly lower cost than competing superconducting wires in use for MRI systems, namely, niobium titanium (NbTi). Key benefits of MgB2 include, lighter weight than NbTi, cost basis (Superconducting wire is purchased on a dollar-per-meter basis. One can get three to four times more wire length per pound of wire material with MgB2 than with NbTi for the same dollar per meter cost), The wire can potentially superconduct at -233 degrees C-- a higher temperature than conventional low-temperature superconductors, NbTi and Nb3Sn. It can carry a current without resistance using straightforward cryogenic refrigeration. It is easy to process. There is the potential to manufacture higher quality open MRI systems.
