LK-99 Superconductor

[dimots]

Labs around the world are racing to replicate the material described in a new paper - a room temperature superconductor named LK-99.

Being a relatively simple process, results should be in today.

Follow one team here:

https://twitter.com/andrewmccalip/status/168443384...

More reading here:

https://twitter.com/8teapi/status/1684385895565365...

[Astacus]

This is massive if it’s repeatable

[dimots]

Yeah absolutely massive. Best thread for background and scope of this if proven:

https://news.ycombinator.com/item?id=36864624

[ReallyReallyGood]

Why is this massive? Can someone explain to an idiot like myself what room-temperature superconductors enable?

[Snoggledog]

ReallyReallyGood said:

Why is this massive? Can someone explain to an idiot like myself what room-temperature superconductors enable?

IIRC and I'm assuming someone more knowledgeable will clarify, but essentially almost zero resistance in circuits and amazingly high level of magnetism. Conceivably this leads to quantum computing for the home and the ability to find the needle in the haystack from 80ft away (maybe making that bit up)

[jontysafe]

Broad strokes here:

No loss power line transmission. The amount of energy lost in power lines in USA is like a billion joules. Equiv to a nuclear reactor power station running 24/7 365.
A supercomputer, as a desktop.
Battery technology would improve.
Mag-lev trains
Nuclear reactor efficiency.
The list goes on. Currently its taken 10,000 x atmospheric pressure and super cooling thus far.

[dimots]

It’s one of those sci-fi to reality things. Loads of stories have been written which reference room temp superconductors and even written specifically about them.

So you have a whole scientific community going ‘oh st these are real now?’ and that unlocks a new wave of innovation.

[andy_s]

jontysafe said:

Broad strokes here:

No loss power line transmission. The amount of energy lost in power lines in USA is like a billion joules. Equiv to a nuclear reactor power station running 24/7 365.
A supercomputer, as a desktop.
Battery technology would improve.
Mag-lev trains
Nuclear reactor efficiency.
The list goes on. Currently its taken 10,000 x atmospheric pressure and super cooling thus far.

Critically it'll be a key to unlock fusion.

Keeping my bag of salt handy but reading up on it a little it explains the 'crude' abstract and lends a credibility to the people concerned, but replication shouldn't be too hard so we should find out soon enough.

I'll not go into 'the state of physics' until we know

[fido]

But at what pressure? There already superconductors that work at fridge temperatures but only at high pressures. So excuse me for a being a teeny bit sceptical.

[valiant]

So this could be genuine world changing stuff?

[GroundEffect]

fido said:

But at what pressure? There already superconductors that work at fridge temperatures but only at high pressures. So excuse me for a being a teeny bit sceptical.

Almost atmospheric.

[Super Sonic]

Why's this in npe? Surely it should be in science!

[jeremyc]

Super Sonic said:

Why's this in npe? Surely it should be in science!

There is already a thread in the Science forum, here.