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Superconductors
Recent Breakthroughs and Future Possibilities
Mark Brunjes
October 16, 2023
The world of energy transmission is on the cusp of a revolution thanks to the latest claimed breakthroughs in superconductor technology. Now, scientists have reportedly achieved a major development—discovering a room-temperature superconductor that conducts electricity without resistance or energy loss.
For over a century, scientists have struggled to make superconductors work under everyday conditions. Until now, they have only worked under extreme conditions such as incredibly low temperatures or exceedingly high pressures.
In this article, we will explore recent developments in the world of superconductors and discuss their potential applications and implications for electricity transmission, computing, and other technologies.
Key Takeaways
South Korean team of research scientists have recently claimed to have created a superconductor material that can conduct electricity without resistance even at room temperature. Find the research paper here
Potential applications of superconductors include power transmission, magnetic levitation in transportation, and high-speed computing.
With further exploration into the field of superconductor technology, new possibilities can open up amazing technological gains for everyone.
Recent Breakthroughs in Superconductor Technology
Development of room-temperature superconductors by South Korean scientists
A South Korean research team claims to have created a room-temperature and ambient-pressure superconductor, if verified, this would represent a groundbreaking advancement in the field. The team behind this potential breakthrough is led by Hyun-Tak Kim, a researcher at the College of William & Mary in Virginia. Kim and his colleagues claim to have developed a material named LK-99, which they claim is superconductive at room temperature and pressure.
To create LK-99, the team mixed powdered compounds containing lead, oxygen, sulfur, copper, and phosphorus. They then heated these compounds at a high temperature for several hours, causing the powders to react chemically and transform into a dark grey solid.
The team then measured the electrical resistance of a millimeter-sized sample of LK-99 at different temperatures. They found that its resistivity decreased sharply from a substantially positive value at 105°C down to nearly zero at 30°C, suggesting superconductivity at these temperatures.
Exploring the Meissner Effect and the Potential of Superconductors
Figure 1 - Partial levitation of LK-99
Another crucial feature of superconductors is their response to a magnetic field. Superconductors are known to expel magnetic fields, a phenomenon known as the Meissner effect. This property allows a superconductor to float when placed on a conventional magnet.
Kim's team tested LK-99's magnetic field response by placing a piece of LK-99 above a magnet and observing it rise above the magnet's surface as seen in Figure 1. However, only one edge of the material fully levitated, while the other seemed to stay in contact with the magnet. Kim attributes this to the sample being imperfect, meaning that only some part of it becomes superconductive and exhibits the Meissner effect.
Potential Applications and Possibilities of Superconductors
Superconductors have potential applications in power transmission, magnetic levitation, high-speed computing, and medical and scientific research.
Power transmission
Superconductors, when cooled to extremely low temperatures, can transmit electricity with virtually no energy loss due to their zero electrical resistance. Their introduction into electric power and magnet technology could drastically improve transmission efficiency and reduce energy waste, estimated at 100 billion kilowatt hours annually in the US alone.
Magnetic levitation
Superconductors, due to their unique interaction with magnets, can play a key role in sustainable and efficient transportation. They enable frictionless levitation of magnetic objects, allowing for smoother, faster, and cheaper movement. Immediate applications can be seen in transportation systems such as high-speed trains and efficient storage systems.
High-speed computing
High-temperature superconductors offer new avenues for high-speed computing, enabling systems to operate with minimal latency, improved efficiency, and reduced energy costs. Superconductors hold the potential to revolutionize all high energy-consuming industries such as database warehousing, general computing, and quantum computing
Medical and scientific research
Superconductors, with their ability to conduct electricity with zero energy loss, hold significant potential for medical and scientific research. They could revolutionize high-speed data processing and medical imaging techniques such as MRI scans.
Moreover, this technology could transform cancer treatments by enabling quick, accurate storage of vast biological information, potentially leading to more effective cures.
Conclusion
Bearing in mind the scientific communities skepticism, the South Korean scientists’ breakthrough has the potential to revolutionize the way people use electricity in everyday life. Superconductors may play an increasingly important role in our lives as we continue to explore their many potential applications.
Advancements are being made towards understanding quantum mechanics more deeply to further improve upon current understandings of these materials. Despite the optimistic outlook on future superconductor technology, verification, and replication challenges remain that experts will need to overcome before this type of device is widely adopted across various industries. Until then the world sits patiently waiting for this future shaping technology to emerge into society, drastically transforming how we live day to day.
