Room-temperature superconductivity possibly attained.

[dennilfloss]

If this pans out, it is A BIG DEAL!

http://scitechdaily.com/room-temperature-superconductivity-might-have-been-attained/

 

[TastesLikeChicken]

It's interesting in that it might lead to further avenues but as it currently stands this material is not actually superconducting. It merely exhibits some properties that are similar to those of superconducting materials like maintaining magnetism, and it hasn't been completely ruled out that the residual magnetism isn't a result of something else. When an electrical current was applied to this material it instantly lost all superconducting properties.

 

[pelov]

It's interesting in that it might lead to further avenues but as it currently stands this material is not actually superconducting.

I was thinking the same thing. The second paragraph really throws you off then the third brings it back in order.

The samples, when placed in a magnetic field, remained slightly magnetized after the field was removed. This residual magnetization could be attributed by either superconductivity or ordinary ferromagnetism. They varied the strength of the field to see how the magnetization changed. The resulting data was similar to that of the first high-temperature oxide superconductors.

The results remain speculative rather than watertight since the team hasn’t been able to prove that the samples conduct electricity with zero resistance. Also, they haven’t been able to prove that magnetic fields are absent within the material itself, which is a fundamental characteristic of superconductors.

Even if it doesn't meet the requirements for a superconductor, any potential savings and efficiency derived from the compound is a good thing.

What I don't get is how just graphite and water can accomplish something like that

Granular superconductivity in powders of small graphite grains (several tens of micrometers) is demonstrated after treatment with pure water. The temperature, magnetic field and time dependence of the magnetic moment of the treated graphite powder provides evidence for the existence of superconducting vortices with some similarities to high-temperature granular superconducting oxides but even at temperatures above 300 K. Room temperature superconductivity in doped graphite or at its interfaces appears to be possible.

I don't have access to the journal but I'd love to read the study.

 

[SKORPI0]

http://onlinelibrary.wiley.com/doi/10.1002/adma.201202219/abstract
http://arxiv.org/ftp/arxiv/papers/1209/1209.1938.pdf

 

[bfdd]

Get these guys together with the warp drive guys.

 

[brianmanahan]

if a workable superconductor ever gets found, i will crap my pants with literally no resistance