A New Family of High-Temperature Superconductors

sciencehabit writes to let us know that physicists are hailing the discovery of a new type of superconductor as a "major advance." The new materials could solve the biggest mystery in condensed matter physics — i.e., how and why cuprate superconductors work — as well as paving the way for practical magnetic levitation and lossless transmission of energy. "God only knows where it will go," says one Nobel Laureate. After the discovery of superconductivity in an iron-and-arsenic compound at 26 kelvin, several Chinese research groups quickly found related materials that are superconducting up to 55K. (Cuprates go as high as 138K; liquid nitrogen boils at 77K.)

Comments

Close, but no cigar yet.

[Black-Six]

"High Temperature"? I wouldn't call 55K a very warm temp at all. Although, this is a significant break through in getting a material closer to "at room temp" superconducting. They need to get to the range of 273-310K before it will be of widespread feasibility to use. However, a 55K superconductor would be useful in several spaceflight applications. This might lead to the development of a new propulsion system or much more powerful ion drives.