Superconductivity

August 3, 2023

GS Paper III Science and Technology

Contect:

Recently, South Korean researchers claimed that a lead-based compound they had developed, had shown superconducting properties at room temperature, under normal pressure conditions.

About Superconductivity:

Superconductivity refers to a state in which a material offers zero, or near-zero, resistance to electric current.
While resistance is a property that restricts the flow of electricity, superconductivity allows unhindered electric flow.
- Electricity is essentially the movement of free electrons in a conducting material like copper.
- While the movement of electrons is in one particular direction, it is random and haphazard.
- They frequently collide with one another, and with other particles in the material, thus offering resistance to the flow of current.
As of now, superconductivity can be achieved only at very low temperatures, more than 250 degree Celsius below zero, very close to absolute zero which is – 273 degree Celsius.
In some cases, materials can exhibit superconductivity at slightly higher temperatures as well, but under increased pressure conditions.

Significance of Superconductivity:

Zero Electrical Resistance: Conduct electricity with zero resistance leading to efficient current transmission without energy loss as heat.
High Magnetic Fields: Generate very high magnetic fields, which makes them useful in a variety of applications such as MRI machines and particle accelerators.
Efficient Energy Storage: Store energy very efficiently, which makes them useful for energy storage applications such as in batteries and power grids.
Faster Computing: Enable faster and more efficient computing devices, which could revolutionize the field of computing.
New Innovation: Advance the field of quantum computing, as superconducting qubits can store and process quantum information with high coherence and fidelity.