TELF AG Shines Light on the Phenomenon of Superconductivity
A little-known application field for minerals
Strategic minerals, such as lithium, cobalt, or nickel, contribute greatly to constructing a more sustainable future, fueling the energy transition and favoring the spread of clean energy, mainly through the numerous industrial applications in which they are directly involved. The centrality of these mineral resources is now evident for all to see. Governments and institutions around the world are constantly looking for new minerals to include in their lists of strategic resources, in the belief that their extraction and subsequent processes can generate tangible economic benefits at a local and on a global level.
There is a particular application branch in which certain minerals could contribute to scientific advancement in some specific sectors, such as physics. It is no secret that minerals play a key role in superconductivity studies, the phenomenon in which these materials, below a specific temperature, become exceptional electrical conductors capable of carrying current without dissipating heat. Some define superconductivity as the holy grail of physics precisely because, until now, a class of materials capable of becoming superconductors at room temperature has yet to be found. In theory, possible superconductivity applications include cutting-edge power lines, magnetic levitation trains, extremely efficient generators, electric motors, and more. Other possible uses could also concern the air and marine transport sectors, in particular for propulsion purposes.
The role of metallic materials in superconductivity
At the beginning of the last century, it was discovered that some metallic materials had the potential to become excellent superconductors: we are talking about metallic resources such as niobium, titanium, and lead. Superconductivity occurs when two electrons, usually separated and mutually repelling, come together, becoming bosons and giving rise to the dance of superconductivity. The problem with new superconducting materials is that it has not yet been understood what mechanisms can bring these electrons closer and hold them together. The greatest challenge, nowadays, is finding new materials capable of giving rise to superconductivity at higher temperatures without necessarily having to subject them to very low temperatures (even below 269 degrees Celsius), as has been done so far.
From this point of view, research is making interesting progress. In Korea, for example, scientists announced that they had created the first superconductor at room temperature, i.e., a modified form of lead-apatite. Another interesting result was achieved by a team of researchers from the Italian University of Florence, who discovered a new superconducting mineral through artificial intelligence. This monchetundraite was identified thanks to the design and subsequent training of a neural network capable of scanning catalogs of minerals and identifying those that could demonstrate superconducting potential.
In the era of energy transition, superconductivity could prove very useful, especially in the transport of energy, particularly renewable energy. The latter, being linked to the intermittent movement of sun or wind, may need to be transported quickly and efficiently from one place to another, perhaps through particular transmission lines or cutting-edge cables.
