The Search for Room-Temperature Superconductivity is Continuing (acm.org) 16
Communications of the ACM checks in on the quest for room-temperature superconductivity. "Time and time again, physicists have announced breakthroughs that were later found to be irreproducible, in error, or even fraudulent."
But "The issue is once again simmering..." In January 2024, a group of researchers from Europe and South America announced they had achieved a milestone in room-temperature ambient-pressure superconductivity. Using Scotch-taped cleaved pyrolytic graphite with surface wrinkles, which formed line defects, they observed a room-temperature superconducting state. Their paper, published in the journal Advanced Quantum Technologies, has gained considerable attention in the scientific world... Although many in the scientific community remain incredulous, if valid, this development could help solve a key piece of the puzzle: how defects and wrinkles in a material such as scotch-taped cleaved pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) affect electrical properties and behavior within superconductive systems...
"We haven't reached a point where there is a clear path to room temperature superconductivity because researchers are either overly enthusiastic or deceptive," said Elie Track, chief technology officer at HYPRES, Inc., an Elmsford, NY, company that develops and commercializes superconductor integrated circuits (ICs) and systems. "People fail to check measurements and others can't reproduce their results. There is a lot of carelessness and sloppy science surrounding the space because people are so eager to achieve success." The team conducting research into scotch-taped cleaved pyrolytic graphite believe their discovery could tilt the search for practically useful room-temperature superconductivity in a favorable direction. They reported they were able to achieve one-dimensional superconductivity in pyrolytic graphite at temperatures as great as 300 degrees Kelvin (26.85 degrees Celsius), and at ambient pressure. Vinokur and physicist Maria Cristina Diamantini described the development as the first "unambiguous experimental evidence" for a global room temperature zero-resistance state. If true, the team's research could illuminate a path to new superconducting materials....
Others remain skeptical, however. For example Alan Kadin [a technical consultant in the field and a former professor of electrical engineering at the University of Rochester] pointed out that one of the key researchers for the project, Yakov Kopelevich, has been working in the field for two decades and, so far, "The results are not reproducible in other labs...Until someone else independently reproduces these results, I think we can safely ignore them," he argued...
Yet as scientists continue to bang away at the superconducting challenge — including the possibility of using generative AI to explore materials and techniques — optimism is growing that a major breakthrough could occur.
But "The issue is once again simmering..." In January 2024, a group of researchers from Europe and South America announced they had achieved a milestone in room-temperature ambient-pressure superconductivity. Using Scotch-taped cleaved pyrolytic graphite with surface wrinkles, which formed line defects, they observed a room-temperature superconducting state. Their paper, published in the journal Advanced Quantum Technologies, has gained considerable attention in the scientific world... Although many in the scientific community remain incredulous, if valid, this development could help solve a key piece of the puzzle: how defects and wrinkles in a material such as scotch-taped cleaved pyrolytic graphite (HOPG) affect electrical properties and behavior within superconductive systems...
"We haven't reached a point where there is a clear path to room temperature superconductivity because researchers are either overly enthusiastic or deceptive," said Elie Track, chief technology officer at HYPRES, Inc., an Elmsford, NY, company that develops and commercializes superconductor integrated circuits (ICs) and systems. "People fail to check measurements and others can't reproduce their results. There is a lot of carelessness and sloppy science surrounding the space because people are so eager to achieve success." The team conducting research into scotch-taped cleaved pyrolytic graphite believe their discovery could tilt the search for practically useful room-temperature superconductivity in a favorable direction. They reported they were able to achieve one-dimensional superconductivity in pyrolytic graphite at temperatures as great as 300 degrees Kelvin (26.85 degrees Celsius), and at ambient pressure. Vinokur and physicist Maria Cristina Diamantini described the development as the first "unambiguous experimental evidence" for a global room temperature zero-resistance state. If true, the team's research could illuminate a path to new superconducting materials....
Others remain skeptical, however. For example Alan Kadin [a technical consultant in the field and a former professor of electrical engineering at the University of Rochester] pointed out that one of the key researchers for the project, Yakov Kopelevich, has been working in the field for two decades and, so far, "The results are not reproducible in other labs...Until someone else independently reproduces these results, I think we can safely ignore them," he argued...
Yet as scientists continue to bang away at the superconducting challenge — including the possibility of using generative AI to explore materials and techniques — optimism is growing that a major breakthrough could occur.
My humble proposal (Score:2)
Try a different room
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Try a different room
Or a different planet. Room temperature superconductors would be easy on Pluto.
Graphite? (Score:2)
>Using Scotch-taped cleaved pyrolytic graphite with surface wrinkles
They used a chewed-up school pencil.
It's not even an argument (Score:2)
> "The results are not reproducible in other labs...Until someone else independently reproduces these results, I think we can safely ignore them," he argued
That's just common sense and the most practical approach given the historical and current state of superconductor research.
Copper is good enough... really. (Score:2)
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Copper does the job.
The 3500 km HVDC line from Xinjiang to Anhui carries 12 GW of power and loses 1.5 GW to copper resistance.
Re: (Score:2)
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Seems like the energy should be created closer to where it is consumed.
How do you move desert winds to a rice paddy?
Or Xinjiang sunshine to where it gets dark two hours earlier?
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Except where it doesn't.
The quest for room temperature superconductors is really driving by the power industry. First, pushing power down long power lines does incur loss - and while it's generally very small - well under 10% (usually under 5%) from when its generated to when you get to use it, it's still a h
Three things are certain in life (Score:1)
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Death, taxes, and no such thing as room-temperature ambient-pressure superconductivity.
fusion energy too? It is 10 year away, right?
Thinking two steps ahead. (Score:2)
I'm looking for body temperature superconductors.
Higher is better (Score:2)
Room temperature or not, it's still a case of the higher the better. You get so much more working headroom that it's worth searching for anything at higher temperatures.
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Room temperature or not, it's still a case of the higher the better.
Yes, but there are important thresholds for cheaper coolants.
Liquid nitrogen boils at 77K and is way cheaper than liquid helium.
At 195K, you can use carbon dioxide.
At 250K, you can use R134a Freon (the same stuff your fridge uses).
Above 273K, you can use water.