Superconductors revolutionising science and technology

You have probably heard of the geopolitical importance of semiconductors in recent months. Yet, while today’s governments wrestle over who can get their hands on more of these electronic chips, a new technological breakthrough is underway with superconductors which may revolutionise technology.

What are superconductors?

Superconductivity, first discovered in 1911, is defined as the complete absence of electrical resistance in a material at very low temperatures. Superconductors are materials that have zero electrical resistance and can conduct electricity with near-perfect efficiency. In other words, they allow an electric current to flow through them without any loss of energy due to resistance, producing no heat or waste.

Modern daily life is powered by electricity that has to overcome much resistance. This resistance causes typical conductors — like copper wiring — to lose energy every time electrons move. This inefficiency comes in the form of released heat. Just think of your laptop or a mobile device overheating during prolonged usage.

It is estimated that up to 5% of the electricity generated in the United States is wasted in transmission and distribution, costing billions of dollars annually. Replacing semiconductors with superconductors would save money and pave the way for entirely new and more efficient electricity grids.

Superconductors can revolutionise technology

For a material to exhibit superconductivity, it must be cooled to a very low temperature, typically below -250 °C. For obvious reasons, this isn’t practical for cell phones or personal computers. However, researchers at the University of Rochester recently announced that they achieved superconductivity at just 14 °C in a material composed of hydrogen, sulphur, and carbon. Previously, the highest recorded superconductivity temperature was -13°C in 2018.

Scientists consider this a huge breakthrough. They expect that in the coming 10-15 years, it will be possible to increase the temperature further – making the use of superconductors applicable to a whole new array of electrical devices.

The problem is that the team had to apply a lot of pressure onto the material to achieve such high temperatures. They had to squeeze the material to 267 gigapascals, or more than 2 million times the Earth’s atmospheric pressure. Unfortunately, this high-pressure requirement will keep room-temperature superconductivity in the lab – for now!

Zero-resistance future?

Superconductors are a remarkable class of materials that have the potential to revolutionise technology. The current usage of the technology span Magnetic Resonance Imaging (MRI), used to produce detailed images of the human body and magnetic levitation, or maglev, trains. As researchers continue to study superconductors and develop new materials, we can expect to see even more innovative applications in the future.