Cautiously Optimistic
Superconductors, materials that suffer no energy loss due to electrical resistance, have traditionally been limited to novel technologies such as maglev trains. It was challenging to make superconductor technology economically viable.
However, recent research by South Korean teams implementing superconductive phenomena at room temperature and atmospheric pressure has significantly increased the potential for commercialization. While further scientific validation is needed, the research is receiving global attention.
On June 22, a manuscript titled “The First Room-Temperature Ambient-Pressure Superconductor” was posted on the preprint site arXiv by Dr. Lee Suk-bae, Dr. Kim Ji-hoon, and Professor Kwon Young-wan from Korea University and Quantum Energy Research Institute. This paper completely defies conventional understanding.
Until now, superconductivity was thought to be achievable only under extremely low temperatures and controlled conditions. Over a century since the physicist Heike Kamerlingh Onnes of the Netherlands first discovered this phenomenon in 1911, more than a thousand types of superconductors, including metals, organic substances, and ceramics, have been discovered. Still, none have overcame the economic viability problem.
According to the paper, the superconducting material developed by the Korean researchers shows near-zero electrical resistance at 30 degrees Celsius and 1 atmosphere of pressure. Theoretically, the control of superconductivity is possible without needing expensive liquid helium cooling.
The researchers also noted a slight phenomenon of repelling magnets. If a magnet is placed above a superconductor, the magnetic field generated by the magnet is pushed away from the superconductor, which keeps the magnet floating above it, referred to as the “Meissner effect.” This has sparked new potential in global research aiming for the commercialization of superconductivity.
If this material proves valid, it could revolutionize various industries such as transportation, energy, and electronics. A representative example is the maglev train. Using the Meissner effect, friction between the train and the rails is virtually eliminated. Theoretically, a train could travel from Seoul to Busan at 500 kph in just 40 minutes. The technology is currently experimental, but it is known that commercialization is highly feasible.