Most technological advancements are modest in nature, slowly building upon previous generations. However, every so often, there is a breakthrough in material science which results in not a step, but a leap forward. If a team of scientists in Korea is correct in its recent findings surrounding superconductors, it may have provided the world with one of these breakthroughs.
As it stands, the team of scientists claims to have discovered a superconductor made without exotic materials and is stable and functional at both,
- ambient-pressure
- room temperature
This superconductor, which is a modified lead-apatite structure, is currently being referred to as ‘LK-99′. In its paper, the team states,
“For the first time in the world, we report the success in synthesizing a room-temperature and ambient-pressure superconductor with a chemical approach to solve the temperature and pressure problem. We named the first room temperature and ambient pressure superconductor LK-99.”
Below, we take a brief look at what a superconductor is, and what it means moving forward.
What are Superconductors?
Before looking at why superconductors are so sought after, we must first understand what they actually are. To that end, superconductors are materials that can conduct electricity or transport electrons from one atom to another with no resistance. This means that electrical current can flow through the material without any energy loss. By boasting the ability to allow for zero-loss electricity transfers, superconductors allow for extremely efficient energy systems.
Interestingly, superconductivity is a quantum mechanical phenomenon that typically occurs in select materials and only within a narrow range of parameters. Most commonly, extremely low temperatures approaching absolute zero (-273.15 degrees Celsius or -459.67 degrees Fahrenheit).
Notably, the unique properties of superconductors do not stop at just efficient energy transfer. They also extend to include strong magnetic fields, making them invaluable for applications such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) machines in hospitals and maglev (magnetic levitation) trains.
YouTube channel, Techquickie does well to explain this on a past episode of ‘Fast as Possible’.
Currently, there are two types of widely accept superconductors. These include,
- Type-I superconductors: These materials exhibit superconductivity at very low temperatures and under low magnetic fields. They are typically pure metals like aluminum, mercury, and lead.
- Type-II superconductors: These are usually metallic compounds or alloys that exhibit superconductivity at relatively higher temperatures and under high magnetic fields. Examples include niobium-tin (Nb3Sn) and yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO).
Importantly, temperatures are relative. Meaning that, while Type-II superconductors are known as high-temperature variants, this is in comparison to Type-1. The fact remains that they still require temperatures far too low to be practical for use in everyday applications.
Why is a Room Temperature, Ambient Pressure Superconductor So Sought After?
The discovery of a room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconductor would have profound implications for technology, and science as a whole. Here are some potential applications and impacts.
- Power Transmission: Superconductors can carry electrical current without any loss due to resistance. This would make power transmission extremely efficient, potentially revolutionizing our electrical grid and reducing energy waste.
- Magnetic Levitation (Maglev) Trains: With room-temperature superconductors, the construction and operation of maglev trains would become much more practical and cost-effective. These trains could travel at very high speeds with minimal energy usage.
- Medical Technology: High-quality, more efficient MRI machines and other medical imaging devices could be developed since they rely on superconducting magnets.
- Quantum Computing: Superconductors are already key to certain types of quantum computers (like those built by IBM and Google), but these currently have to be cooled to extremely low temperatures. Room-temperature superconductors would make quantum computers more practical, potentially accelerating the development of this powerful new technology.
- Energy Storage: Superconductors can be used to create high-capacity, efficient energy storage systems, known as superconducting magnetic energy storage (SMES) systems. These could play a vital role in a renewable energy future.
- Scientific Research: Many scientific instruments and experiments (for example, those in particle physics) could be made more efficient and easier to run with room-temperature superconductors.
Essentially, any machine, device, or process which is reliant upon electricity or is hampered by friction stands to benefit tremendously from both a functional and efficiency standpoint.
The discovery of a room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconductor isn’t a ‘flashy’ scientific by any means. This, however, does not change the significance of such a discovery and requires one to actually think and consider how it would potentially change our world.
Fields to be Upended
As mentioned above, there are scores if fields that stand to benefit from such a superconductor. The team behind LK-99 underscores this, stating,
“The LK-99 is a very useful material for the study of superconductivity puzzles at room temperature. All evidence and explanation lead that LK-99 is the first room-temperature and ambient-pressure superconductor. The LK-99 has many possibilities for various applications such as magnet, motor, cable, levitation train, power cable, qubit for a quantum computer, THz Antennas, etc. We believe that our new development will be a brand-new historical event that opens a new era for humankind”
While there are a plethora of scientific fields and industries that would be upended with access to a room-temperature, ambient-pressure, superconductor, there is potentially one that would benefit most of all – computing.
Computing – whether referring to Bitcoin Mining, smartphones, data servers, etc. – will greatly benefit from increased miniaturization, energy efficiency, and processing speeds. Whether it be through diminished heat generation, decreased latency, or something else entirely, superconductors have the potential to usher in the true next generation of computers.
Skepticism Abound
IF the team of scientists behind the paper discussed above is correct in their findings, the resulting benefits for humans will be staggering. There is, however, a significant asterisk lingering atop its findings – a lack of peer review.
Given the fact that scientists around the world have been searching for an ambient-pressure, room-temperature superconductor for decades, there is naturally a healthy amount of skepticism abound surrounding the claims being made. For this skepticism to abate, the teams’ findings need to be re-created in a controlled and repeatable manner. The importance of the peer-review process is multi-fold, including,
- Quality Control: The most immediate function of peer review is to ensure the quality of the articles that are published in scientific journals. Reviewers critically evaluate a study’s methodology, statistics, and presentation of results to ensure that the conclusions are supported by the data.
- Validation of the Research: Peer reviewers validate the research methodology and findings. They determine whether the research methods are appropriate and have been applied correctly. They also verify that the findings are derived from the data and that the data is interpreted correctly.
- Unethical Practices: Peer review helps prevent plagiarism, falsification of data, and other unethical practices in scientific research. Reviewers are tasked with spotting any suspicious patterns or inconsistencies that might suggest such malpractices.
- Standardization: By enforcing standard scientific conventions and expectations, peer review promotes consistency and cohesion within a scientific field.
- Credibility: Peer review adds credibility to a research paper. Other researchers, as well as the general public, often regard peer-reviewed work as more trustworthy because it has undergone this level of scrutiny.
Each of these points is important because, as a whole, they facilitate the verifiable advancement of science. Peer-reviewed works provide scientists around the world with a foundation upon which their next experiment or invention can be based.
However, it’s also important to note that the peer review process isn’t perfect and has its limitations. It can sometimes miss major errors or fraud, and there can be bias in the process. Despite its potential shortcomings, peer review is currently the best tool we have for maintaining the quality and integrity of scientific literature.
If Proven True
The idea of LK-99 is a tantalizing one that needs to be proven true. Thankfully, it shouldn’t be long before this is the case, and due to the potential applications for such a material, there are already scientists from around the world doing just that. If everything checks out, there will, no doubt, be a massive amount of interest in leveraging LK-99 for real-world applications and improving on what it can offer.
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