University of Rochester scientists have made a significant breakthrough by developing a superconducting substance that is suitable for practical use at low temperatures and pressures, marking a historic accomplishment.

Scientists at the University of Rochester have made a groundbreaking discovery in the field of superconductivity. Their research has resulted in the creation of a room-temperature superconductor, a material that can conduct electricity with zero resistance at temperatures as high as 59 degrees Fahrenheit (15 degrees Celsius).

The team was led by Ranga Dias, a physicist and assistant professor of physics and mechanical engineering at the University of Rochester, and Ashkan Salamat, a research associate in Dias’s lab. Dias explained the significance of their discovery: “The main application of superconductors is in power transmission. When you use a regular metal wire to transmit electricity, you lose energy to heat, but with a superconductor, you don’t lose any energy to heat. It’s all electricity that’s transmitted.”

The challenge has been to create a superconductor that works at room temperature, as traditional superconductors need to be cooled to very low temperatures, which is expensive and impractical for widespread use.

Dias and his team achieved their breakthrough by using a carbonaceous sulfur hydride compound, which they subjected to extremely high pressure using a diamond anvil cell. The pressure caused the compound to become a superconductor at room temperature.

Salamat added, “It was really exciting to see the results come in. When we saw this amazing data, it was hard to believe. But we were able to reproduce the results many times, so we know it’s accurate.”

The discovery has the potential to revolutionize the energy industry by allowing for more efficient and cost-effective power transmission. Dias acknowledged that there is still much work to be done before this technology can be applied on a large scale, but he is optimistic about the possibilities.

“We have a long way to go before this becomes practical,” he said. “But it’s a game-changing discovery that has the potential to transform energy transmission and storage, opening up new possibilities for sustainability.”

The team’s findings were published in the journal Nature.

Via The Impactlab