2006-08-21 14:20:38 · 7 answers · asked by Michael K 3 in Science & Mathematics ➔ Engineering
I suspect you mean, "what ever happened to room temperature super conductors" that were being predicted back in the 80's.
A class of new ceramic superconductors were discovered in the 80's. Before this superconductivity was a phenomenon of metals chilled to only a few degrees above absolute zero. Niobium nitride was found to superconduct at 16 above. Theory that explained this behavior predicted that superconductivity above about 30k was impossible.
In 1986 a ceramic containing copper and the rare earth element Yttrium that superconducts at 35K was announced. This quickly won a Nobel prize. Some of these new ceramics became super conductors at a few tens of degrees above absolute zero. As people tweaked their ceramics recipe, the performance temperature climbed, and some optomistically predicted room temperature SCs within a decade or so. The temperature topped out at 92K. This is still pretty exciting because cheap cooling systems involving liquid nitrogen can chill things to 77K easily.
These compounds are in use in many devices today, but these cryogenic temperatures are still not terribly practical to use in everyday devices or power transmission lines.
One difficulty has been how to turn ceramics into malleable wire. A 95k superconducting material w/o a rare earth element known as BSCCO ("bisko") can be rolled into a usuable wire. It is comparble in price to copper wire, but it still needs to be VERY cold to work.
If inexpensive room temperature superconducting wire is ever developed, it will change a lot of things, but do not hold your breath.
We are spoiled by the lunatic pace at which computers have improved. Technological developements take time.
2006-08-21 14:40:04 · answer #1 · answered by Mr. Quark 5 · 1⤊ 0⤋
superconductors are used to generate very strong magnetic fields with ver smallcurrent.this is possible since resistance R=0.
a superconducting material like mercury cooled to 4.2K require no power to carry large currents.no thermal loss is associated with current passage.
various and extensive researches are being carried out .the only drawback is the extremly low tempraturs required.research is going on as to determine whether the superconductors conduct at more resonable tempratures.
2006-08-22 02:41:43 · answer #2 · answered by sindindia 1 · 0⤊ 0⤋
It's still around. Used in "atom-smashers" and MRI machines. Very interesting concept but is has proved too impractical for use in distributing electrical service to the country. It will remain impractical until a "room temperature" super conductor that is rugged and able to withstand weathering and heat is found.
2006-08-21 14:27:54 · answer #3 · answered by Albannach 6 · 1⤊ 0⤋
the temperature of an object has been decrease dramatically , and at one point the object (like sillicon) will lose it's resistance which means
R=0 ohms
which means it has no resistance and it is a super conductor
2006-08-21 14:28:54 · answer #4 · answered by ☆LiAn☆ 3 · 0⤊ 0⤋
super conductivity is still not achieved.but a material is showing a resistance of 1k
2006-08-21 21:07:30 · answer #5 · answered by Anonymous · 0⤊ 1⤋
still around here and there
some new applications with the recent "low temperature" superconductors
mainly cool "levitron" videos on the internet
http://community.games4mac.de/index.php?showtopic=4617
2006-08-21 14:32:05 · answer #6 · answered by enginerd 6 · 0⤊ 0⤋
God/universe made it man discovered it and then things got started and the game starts only to start again in a new place.
2006-08-21 14:29:55 · answer #7 · answered by magpiesmn 6 · 0⤊ 2⤋