Are room-temperature superconductors theoretically possible?

Although researchers once doubted whether room-temperature superconductivity was actually achievable, superconductivity has repeatedly been discovered at temperatures that were previously unexpected or held to be impossible.

What would happen if we had room-temperature superconductors?

While some cryogenically cooled systems currently leverage this, a room-temperature superconductor could lead to an energy-efficiency revolution, as well as infrastructure revolutions in applications such as magnetically levitated trains and quantum computers. A modern high field clinical MRI scanner.

Can room-temperature superconductors work without extreme pressure?

So far, the only reported room-temperature superconductor requires high pressure to function—but some researchers believe they can create ambient pressure superconductors by creating materials with the right chemical combination.

Are superconductors the future?

Superconductors, as with all the other materials we have covered, aren’t new technologies and although there is clearly progress made in research and innovation, there is still much room for improvement.

How would room temp superconductors change the world?

Above the critical temperature, the superconducting properties are destroyed. A room-temperature superconductor would revolutionize technology. A superconducting power grid would not lose energy via resistance, so it would result in tremendous energy savings compared with the technology we have today.

How is superconductivity possible?

Artwork: Superconductivity happens when electrons work together in Cooper pairs. Called the BCS theory in honor of its three discovers, it explains that materials suddenly become “superb conductors” when the electrons inside them join forces to make what are called Cooper pairs (or BCS pairs).