For more than a century, superconductors have represented one of science’s most tantalizing frontiers: materials capable of conducting electricity with zero resistance. They are the backbone of MRI machines, particle accelerators, and the dream of next-generation quantum devices. But until now, the process of making them has been slow, rigid, and rooted in decades-old methods. That just changed. Cornell researchers have unveiled a one-step 3D-printing process that doesn’t just simplify how superconductors are made—it unlocks unprecedented performance, shattering records with magnetic field strengths of 40 to 50 Tesla. To put that in perspective, the magnets used at CERN’s Large Hadron Collider peak around 8 Tesla. Cornell’s breakthrough isn’t just incremental; it’s transformative.
The secret lies in a unique “superconductor ink” made from copolymers and nanoparticles. When printed, the material self-assembles into an intricate hierarchy: crystalline lattices at the atomic scale, mesostructures formed by the copolymer organization, and macroscopic 3D shapes like coils and helices. A subsequent heat treatment converts these structures into porous superconductors with properties that traditional fabrication could never achieve. This so-called “one-pot” method eliminates countless manufacturing steps—no powders, binders, or repeated heating cycles. The result is a superconductor not only easier to make but structurally superior, optimized down to the nanoscale for maximum performance.
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