Superconductors, known for their ability to carry electricity without resistance, hold the promise of transforming energy transmission, medical imaging, and quantum computing.
However, their reliance on extremely low temperatures has limited their practical applications. Now, scientists may be one step closer to breaking that barrier.
In groundbreaking research led by Professor Kostya Trachenko of the Queen Mary University of London, the maximum temperature at which superconductors can operate has been linked to fundamental constants of nature, such as the electron mass, electron charge, and the Planck constant.
These constants, essential for atomic stability and star formation, set the upper limit for superconducting temperatures between hundreds and a thousand Kelvin. Encouragingly, this range includes room temperature.
“This discovery shows that fundamental constants do not rule out room-temperature superconductivity. It gives hope to scientists: the dream is still alive,” said co-author Professor Pickard from the University of Cambridge.
The findings, validated by an independent study, offer fascinating insights into the Universe. The researchers explored how altering these constants could shift the limits of superconductivity.
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For instance, we might never have discovered the phenomenon in a Universe with a superconducting limit of a millionth of a Kelvin. Conversely, a limit of a million Kelvin could make superconductors commonplace, even in household appliances like kettles.
Professor Trachenko quipped, “The wire would superconduct instead of heating up. Boiling water for tea would be a very different challenge.”
This discovery underscores how our Universe’s finely balanced constants make room-temperature superconductivity possible. It also motivates scientists and engineers to continue their quest to achieve it, offering immense potential for future innovation.
As Professors Trachenko and Pickard emphasize, the results are a call to action—to push the limits of science and technology and redefine what is possible. The dream of room-temperature superconductors is no longer just a distant hope; it’s an attainable frontier.
Journal Reference
Kostya Trachenko, Bartomeu Monserrat, Michael Hutcheon and Chris J Pickard. Upper bounds on the highest phonon frequency and superconducting temperature from fundamental physical constants. Journal of Physics: Condensed Matter. DOI: 10.1088/1361-648X/adbc39