Scientists Achieve Room-Temperature Superconductivity: A Step Toward Revolutionising Power
After more than a century of research, scientists may have finally achieved room-temperature, room-pressure superconductivity.[0] The revolutionary potential of this new superconducting material will be subject to rigorous scientific examination before it can be realized.[1]
A team of scientists led by Ranga Dias, an assistant professor of mechanical engineering and of physics at the University of Rochester, have created a nitrogen-doped lutetium hydride (NDLH) that exhibits superconductivity at 69 degrees Fahrenheit and 10 kilobars (145,000 pounds per square inch, or psi) of pressure.[2]
A new paper is at the center of a controversy: Last year, the journal Nature retracted the first study of a room-temperature superconductor conducted by Dias and his colleagues due to questions about its data.[3] In order to ensure transparency, the researchers presented their findings to a gathering of scientists at the Argonne and Brookhaven National Laboratories before resubmitting the study with newly acquired data that they claim validates their earlier work.[3]
Dias and his team created a combination of 99% hydrogen and 1% nitrogen, placed it in a reaction chamber along with a sample of pure lutetium, and left the components to react for two to three days at a temperature of 392°F.[2] The material, as the pressure kept increasing, glowed a vivid red, transitioning from its superconductive phase to a non-superconductive metallic state.[4]
When heated up to 294 kelvins (roughly 21° Celsius or 70° Fahrenheit), the material appeared to have no electrical resistance.[5] Pressures of 10 kilobar, equivalent to 10,000 times that of Earth's atmosphere, were still necessary.[5] Superconductors that operate near room temperature typically require millions of atmospheres of pressure, which is far lower than what is usually necessary.[6] Should the material be confirmed, it would be much more promising for practical use.[5]
Part of the reason that scepticism is so hard to assuage is that we don’t know enough about reddmatter to build a theoretical understanding of the mechanism behind its possible superconductivity.[1] According to Dias, there is still much to be investigated regarding the precise structure of the material, which is a key factor in understanding why it is superconducting.[1]
0. “Researchers Say They've Created Superconductors At Room Temperature” Futurism, 8 Mar. 2023, https://futurism.com/researchers-claim-superconductors-room-temperature
1. “‘Red matter' superconductor could transform electronics – if it works” New Scientist, 8 Mar. 2023, https://www.newscientist.com/article/2363376-red-matter-superconductor-could-transform-electronics-if-it-works/
2. “Viable superconducting material created in Rochester lab” University of Rochester, 8 Mar. 2023, https://www.rochester.edu/newscenter/highest-temperature-superconducting-materials-metals-reddmatter-551382/
3. “Could This New Invention Finally Make Nuclear Fusion a Practical Reality?” Inverse, 8 Mar. 2023, https://www.inverse.com/science/superconductor-low-pressures
4. “Physicists Claim Creation of a Superconductor at Near-Ambient Conditions” ScienceAlert, 9 Mar. 2023, https://www.sciencealert.com/physicists-claim-creation-of-a-superconductor-at-near-ambient-conditions
5. “A controversial superconductor may be a game changer — if the claim is true” Science News Magazine, 8 Mar. 2023, https://www.sciencenews.org/article/superconductor-room-temperature-scrutiny
6. “Scientific breakthrough could allow for a room-temperature superconductor” BGR, 8 Mar. 2023, https://bgr.com/science/scientific-breakthrough-could-allow-for-a-room-temperature-superconductor/
