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.

News Source: Indian Express