NUS Discovers Copper-Free Material with High-Temperature Superconductivity

The Potential of Superconductivity

Electricity is one of the most important technologies ever invented by mankind. In its usual form, it always deals with some level of electrical resistance, generating heat when an electric current circulates.
This can have severe limitations for some applications requiring too powerful current or magnetic fields, as it would lead to any electrical system simply melting down.

An alternative is superconductivity, a phenomenon where electrical resistance drops to zero. However, for a very long time, it could only be observed at ultra-low temperatures, close to absolute zero (0 K), or about -273°C/-387°K.

This changed with a discovery granted the Nobel Prize in Physics in 1987: high-temperature superconductors made of copper oxides.

Without superconductivity, plenty of modern technology would not be possible, including particle accelerators (for example, the CERN), MRIs, and maglev trains.

Superconductivity will equally be a crucial component of the most promising megaprojects and technological innovations, like ITER and nuclear fusion, mass drivers, quantum computers, etc.

Zero-loss electric power lines could also be crucial in developing ultra-long grid connections helping buffer the production of renewables over weather conditions and time zones, solving some of the limitations of solar and wind power.

Source: XOT Metals

High-Temperature Superconductivity

For now, the low-temperature requirement makes superconductivity economically viable only for high-end applications: maglev, MRI, etc.

And while scientifically interesting, superconductivity under high pressure is relatively useless in terms of practical applications.