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Scientists Create Room Temperature Superconductor

Posted by samzenpus on from the not-that-cold-anymore dept.

StarEmperor writes "A team of Canadian and German scientists have fabricated a room-temperature superconductor, using a highly compressed silicon-hydrogen compound. According to the article,"The researchers claim that the new material could sidestep the cooling requirement, thereby enabling superconducting wires that work at room temperature.""

4 of 380 comments (clear)

  1. Room-pressure? by atomicthumbs · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Is it also a room-pressure superconductor?

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  2. Its a bomb by slashdotlurker · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Silane explodes with considerable violence on exposure to air. Plus, how are you going to put conductors under great pressure ? The main attractiveness of super conductors lies in long distance electrical supply lines. Unless they come up with a way to hermetically seal the "wire" over distances of hundreds of miles with a seal that can withstand high pressure compressors dotting the landscape (unlikely), this very interesting advance will remain just that - very interesting.

    All not counting whether it is more energy efficient to run superconductors with energy hog compressors or to just stick to what we have, hopefully realizing practical room temperature superconductivity.

  3. Please hold your breath and run... by Detritus · · Score: 5, Interesting

    Silane is pyrophoric and boils at 161 K. It may be a while before this leads to practical results.

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  4. worth a read by Anonymous Coward · · Score: 5, Interesting

    You might find this worth a read in considering the future of science in the US.