TU Wien has performed calculations that suggest the use of the precious metal palladium as a “Goldilocks” material for creating superconductors that remain superconductive even at relatively high temperatures.
In the realm of modern physics, an exhilarating pursuit is underway: identifying the optimal method for creating superconductors that maintain their superconductivity at high temperatures and ambient pressure. This quest has been invigorated in recent times by the emergence of nickelates, ushering in a new era of superconductivity.
The foundation of these superconductors lies in nickel, prompting numerous scientists to refer to this period of superconductivity research as the “nickel age.” In numerous aspects, nickelates are similar to cuprates, which were found in the 1980s and based on copper.
But now a new class of materials is coming into play: In a cooperation between TU Wien and universities in Japan, it was possible to simulate the behavior of various materials more precisely on the computer than before.
There is a “Goldilocks zone” in which superconductivity works particularly well. And this zone is reached neither with nickel nor with copper, but with palladium. This could usher in a new “age of palladates” in superconductivity research. The results have now been published in the scientific journal Physical Review Letters.
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