First room temperature and pressure superconductor discovered
First room temperature and pressure superconductor discovered
Research paper: https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.12008
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Reposting my comment from another thread to add a bit of context in case anyone’s curious.
So I read the paper, and here’s a tldr about how their material apparently gains its properties.
It is hypothesized that superconductivity properties emerge from very specific strains induced in the material. Hence why most of the discovered superconductors require either to be cooled down to very low temperatures, or to be under high pressures. Both shrink the material.
What this paper claims is that they have achieved a similar effect chemically by replacing some lead ions with copper ions, which are a bit smaller (87 pm for Cu vs 133 pm for Pb). This shrinks the material by 0.48%, and that added strain induces superconductivity. This is why it apparently works at room temperature — you no longer need high pressures or extreme cold to create the needed deformation.
Can’t really comment on how actually feasible or long-lasting this effect is, but it looks surprisingly promising. At least as a starting point for future experiments. Can’t wait for other labs’ reproduction attempts. If it turns out to be true, this is an extremely important and world-changing discovery.
Interesting and it wouldn't be a ceramic. Downside is that it is lead based. Not exactly good for the environment or very flexible without breaking. Lead doesn't make good wire.
Not thrilled that it is a lead alloy. Just when we are starting to get rid of all the lead in our communities, this would put it back as part of critical infrastructure everywhere...
You probably shouldn't look up what most solder is made with, then.
Lead never went away, and it never will. It just stopped being put in things like gas and paint.
Leas-free solder is now the standard due to RoHS, at least in Europe. It doesn't stick as well as Pb-Sn solder though, annoyingly.
The transition to lead free solder (and lack of experience using it) led to the XBox 360 red ring of death issues, Playstation 3 yellow light of death, and nVidia 8000 series no video failures.
And indeed the transition happened a long time ago.
Leas-free solder is now the standard due to RoHS, at least in Europe. It doesn't stick as well as Pb-Sn solder though, annoyingly.
As others have mentioned lead is still everywhere. All our combustion car batteries are still lead/acid batteries, but if what /u/[email protected] mentioned the paper claims is true, the method for inducing superconductivity in the metal could possibly be used to create other lead free ones.
Got bad news for you about wheel weights...
Those are increasingly lead free to my knowledge. I'm not sure exactly how free, and it does vary by location and business.
I haven't seen a lead wheel weight in the US in years. They're illegal in California, maybe other states too.
Oh hm, guess I'm wrong! Thought they were still lead
