For the first time in the world, we succeeded in synthesizing the room-temperature superconductor (Tc≥400 K, 127∘C) working at ambient pressure with a modified lead-apatite (LK-99) structure. The superconductivity of LK-99 is proved with the Critical temperature (Tc), Zero-resistivity, Critical current (Ic), Critical magnetic field (Hc), and the Meissner effect. The superconductivity of LK-99 originates from minute structural distortion by a slight volume shrinkage (0.48 %), not by external factors such as temperature and pressure. The shrinkage is caused by Cu2+ substitution of Pb2+(2) ions in the insulating network of Pb(2)-phosphate and it generates the stress. It concurrently transfers to Pb(1) of the cylindrical column resulting in distortion of the cylindrical column interface, which creates superconducting quantum wells (SQWs) in the interface. The heat capacity results indicated that the new model is suitable for explaining the superconductivity of LK-99. The unique structure of LK-99 that allows the minute distorted structure to be maintained in the interfaces is the most important factor that LK-99 maintains and exhibits superconductivity at room temperatures and ambient pressure.

    • happybadger [he/him]
      ·
      1 year ago

      Whenever electricity is conducted through something there's a loss of some of those electrons. A superconductor minimises the loss but our current methods of doing that are in like MRI machines where you need to have expensive cooling mechanisms to achieve the superconducting properties. With a room temperature one, you can cheaply manufacture ones that can be used in all kinds of settings and that can prevent long-distance efficiency loss which makes things like desert solar farms impractical. We could have ultra-efficient engines, better magnetic levitation, and cheap refrigeration without chemicals.

      • silent_water [she/her]
        ·
        1 year ago

        no electrons were lost to make this post lmao. resistance is like friction for electricity. as electrons scoot through a wire, they slow down due to the friction-like effect. this generates heat, which becomes prohibitive (like metal melting prohibitive) at high current, and the energy that becomes heat is just lost, so we have to burn more fossil fuels to make up the difference. superconductors are called that because they have no resistance. up to this point, the only superconductors required absurdly low temperatures - close to the -273C limit - something so prohibitively expensive to achieve that we only bother with superconductors where not using them would destroy machines. but this looks to be so easy to make that there's no reason this wouldn't just replace copper basically everywhere.

        ofc capitalism is a fuck so this will probably get locked behind patents forever and ever.

    • Mardoniush [she/her]
      ·
      1 year ago

      I'd like to add that most current "High temperature superconductors" (ie. -30C or below rather than the liquid Helium types) have major application limitations since they aren't "true superconductors" in the original sense of the term. These guys seem to be claiming a proper 4 Kelvin-style Superconductor at room temp which is...uhhh...an interesting claim up there with Cold Fusion, FTL, or Diamonoid Mechanosynthesis (ie. Proper Nanotech) Uhh no it's actually a fairly limited superconductor, still a huge breakthrough in materials science, just more of the level of..."OLED screens" instead of "Steel"