Physicists Have Officially Smashed The Record For High-Temperature Superconductivity

Scientists in Germany have hit a new superconductivity milestone – achieving a resistance-free electrical current at the highest temperature yet: just 250 Kelvin, or -23 degrees Celsius (-9.4 degrees Fahrenheit).

more…

Tau.Neutrino said:

Physicists Have Officially Smashed The Record For High-Temperature Superconductivity

Scientists in Germany have hit a new superconductivity milestone – achieving a resistance-free electrical current at the highest temperature yet: just 250 Kelvin, or -23 degrees Celsius (-9.4 degrees Fahrenheit).

more…

This is an interesting article. It seems that quite simple substances become superconducting at relatively high temperature when subjected to high pressure (around 150 gigapascals or more).

However, it seems to me that the benefits of high temperature are somewhat negated by the need for high pressure.

One thing from the article that I thought was interesting is that replacing elements in a given material with heavier isotopes leads to a drop in superconductivity temperature.

I wonder what temperature helium becomes superconducting if subjected to high pressure.

KJW said:

I wonder what temperature helium becomes superconducting if subjected to high pressure.

… or hydrogen.

KJW said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

Physicists Have Officially Smashed The Record For High-Temperature Superconductivity

Scientists in Germany have hit a new superconductivity milestone – achieving a resistance-free electrical current at the highest temperature yet: just 250 Kelvin, or -23 degrees Celsius (-9.4 degrees Fahrenheit).

more…

This is an interesting article. It seems that quite simple substances become superconducting at relatively high temperature when subjected to high pressure (around 150 gigapascals or more).

However, it seems to me that the benefits of high temperature are somewhat negated by the need for high pressure.

One thing from the article that I thought was interesting is that replacing elements in a given material with heavier isotopes leads to a drop in superconductivity temperature.

I wonder what temperature helium becomes superconducting if subjected to high pressure.

Given that the yield strength of structural steel is about 0.4 GPa, and about 2 GPa for high tensile strength steel, a pressure of 150 GPa does seem to be a little bit of a drawback.

KJW said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

Physicists Have Officially Smashed The Record For High-Temperature Superconductivity

Scientists in Germany have hit a new superconductivity milestone – achieving a resistance-free electrical current at the highest temperature yet: just 250 Kelvin, or -23 degrees Celsius (-9.4 degrees Fahrenheit).

more…

This is an interesting article. It seems that quite simple substances become superconducting at relatively high temperature when subjected to high pressure (around 150 gigapascals or more).

However, it seems to me that the benefits of high temperature are somewhat negated by the need for high pressure.

One thing from the article that I thought was interesting is that replacing elements in a given material with heavier isotopes leads to a drop in superconductivity temperature.

I wonder what temperature helium becomes superconducting if subjected to high pressure.

When I read the article yesterday I first went “oh…shit”. I then got to the bit where they mentioned the pressure required and went “oh shit”.

:)

sibeen said:

KJW said:

Tau.Neutrino said:

Physicists Have Officially Smashed The Record For High-Temperature Superconductivity

Scientists in Germany have hit a new superconductivity milestone – achieving a resistance-free electrical current at the highest temperature yet: just 250 Kelvin, or -23 degrees Celsius (-9.4 degrees Fahrenheit).

more…

This is an interesting article. It seems that quite simple substances become superconducting at relatively high temperature when subjected to high pressure (around 150 gigapascals or more).

However, it seems to me that the benefits of high temperature are somewhat negated by the need for high pressure.

One thing from the article that I thought was interesting is that replacing elements in a given material with heavier isotopes leads to a drop in superconductivity temperature.

I wonder what temperature helium becomes superconducting if subjected to high pressure.

When I read the article yesterday I first went “oh…shit”. I then got to the bit where they mentioned the pressure required and went “oh shit”.

:)

Hmm, I see what you mean.

What would be the normal upper limit on maximum pressure achievable by a simple method such as the residual stress left by heat treatment or ion deposition, or immersion in a neutron bath?

700 MPa is the residual pressure inside Prince Rupert’s drops, known since about 1625. A similar technique has been used by Corning Ware to produce Gorilla Glass. But we’re sort of short by a factor of 200 there.

The residual stress in TiSiN coatings has been found to be of the order of 10 GPa. Short by a factor of 15. A residual stress of 4.5 GPa has been found in tungsten carbide. In another article, 5.63 GPa residual compressive stress was found in a titanium nitride coating on tungsten carbide cobalt.

Assuming that technology can get better than that, if they can reduce the superconductivity transition pressure by a factor of 10 then there may be some hope of widespread use.