Physicists from various institutions in South Korea claimed to have developed the first room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconducting material. It quickly went viral over social media, prompting scientists and amateurs to reproduce it experimentally and theoretically. However, initial efforts to replicate the material have come up short, and researchers remain skeptical.
Alleged Miraculous Superconductor
The research team led by Sukbae Lee and Ji-Hoon Kim from the start-up firm Quantum Energy Research Centre created a new material called LK-99. It was made by a solid-state reaction between lanarkite and copper phosphide which were transformed into a dark gray, superconductive material. They reported their findings in preprints published on the ArXiv server on July 25.
The Korean scientists described the material as lead, oxygen, and phosphorus. The papers that are yet to be peer-reviewed discuss how the material was doped with copper. Doing so has allegedly altered the chain of lead atoms and led to the creation of channels where superconductivity occurs.
The scientists also posted a video showing a small piece of the material that levitates above a magnet. Within hours of appearing online, the research generated a substantial viral buzz. The material made headlines after the researchers claimed it could revolutionize our conventional energy system. Others even speculate that it can create a perfect power grid or make trains levitate easily.
A superconductor refers to a material that can conduct electricity without experiencing any energy loss. Superconductors are currently used in quantum computers and MRI machines, but they only work in extremely cold temperatures or very high pressures. Because of this, they cannot be deployed on a wider scale for potential use in daily activities.
LK-99 sparked the interest of many being a superconductor that can be used under normal conditions. This property would open all possibilities to improve existing technologies and bring breakthroughs within reach.
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Why Experts Are Not Convinced
The authenticity of the claim can be proven if other researchers can replicate the study. Research laboratories and enthusiastic amateurs around the globe took on the task of making samples of the material and testing it themselves. Laboratories in China and India were the first to report their findings, and they revealed that the material cannot exhibit superconductivity at room temperature. Other laboratories published their results on the same ArXiv server, and more evidence has piled up, disproving the miraculous claims about LK-99.
The papers also seem to show some loopholes. The authors report that they performed tests of LK-99 and discovered a sharp drop in its electrical resistivity. Although zero electrical resistance is evidence of superconductivity, other tests must be done to confirm that the material is a genuine superconductor.
Aside from this, the video posted by the researchers seems not to be enough. The scientists showed how the material exhibits the Meissner effect, which leads to the iconic levitation. However, superconductors are not the only materials that float above magnets since graphite can also show them.
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