The researchers say the new palladium-based superconductors will be an important discovery for high-tech industries. This is beneficial for Russia, as it has most of the world’s reserves of this rare and expensive metal and a significant share of its production.
The first superconductors with zero electrical resistance were discovered at the beginning of the 20th century. Since then, few superconductors have been found with very low transition temperatures (Tc) close to absolute zero. In 1986, two IBM employees managed to discover a material with a Tc as high as 30 Kelvin, for which they were awarded the Nobel Prize in Physics.
High-temperature superconductors (HTSCs) are already used in various fields such as lossless power transmission systems, high-speed trains, magnets for particle accelerators, microchips, medical diagnostics, and interplanetary space propulsion. One of the most famous HTSCs is BSCCO, used in the Large Hadron Collider at CERN.
The real race in the world of physics is focused on the search for superconductors at room temperature and normal pressures. This could lead to revolutionary changes in technology and energy. However, no such material has been found so far.
Cuprates and nickelates are the two main classes of superconductors. Cuprates are complex compounds based on copper derivatives that do not conduct electricity under normal conditions. In contrast, nickelates are less stable and difficult to obtain. But the researchers turned their attention to palladium compounds, such as palladates, which may have an ideal structure for superconductivity. Experiments have shown that paladats have the potential to become high-temperature superconductors at room temperature.
The advantage of palladium as a material for superconductors is its conductivity and stability at high temperatures. This opens up new hopes for the development of more efficient and affordable superconductors.
However, despite palladium’s potential, research is still at an early stage and further research and development is required to fully understand and optimize its superconducting properties. In addition, the manufacture of palladium-based superconductors can be a complex and costly process.
However, if research continues successfully, palladium-based superconductors could find wide application in fields as diverse as energy, transportation, electronics and medicine. This can lead to new technological breakthroughs and significantly improve the efficiency and performance of modern systems and devices.
In conclusion, the discovery of new palladium-based superconductors represents significant scientific progress that could have positive long-term consequences for various industries and society as a whole.
Source: Ferra
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