Room-temperature superconductors, those that do not use any electrical resistance at ambient temperatures, are all the rage nowadays, provided busy developments on this front and the game-changer qualities of any development that does emerge. LK-99 has now been touted as one of the most promising candidates yet to unlock the long-held utopian dream of a world dominated by room-temperature superconductors. Ought to this claim pass scientific rigor, genuine fortunes might be made within seconds.
LK-99: Where is the Proof of Room-Temperature Superconductivity?
Last week, we had analyzed the probability of a nitrogen-doped lutetium hydride substance as the very first practical candidate for room-temperature superconductivity. On the 22 nd of July 2023, a research study team hailing from Korea University rocked the scientific world by declaring that LK-99, a gray-black compound of lead, copper, oxygen, and phosphorus, officially referred to as copper-substituted lead phosphate apatite, exhibited superconductivity attributes at ambient temperature level and pressure. The South Korean team has sent 2 preprint papers(here and here), declaring that the electrical resistivity
of LK-99 dropped to absolutely no (with the associated sound)at space temperature level and pressure. The Meissner result describes the expulsion of electromagnetic fields as a superconductor transitions toward its superconducting state. The South Korean group has actually claimed that it observed this result in LK-99, even going so far as to launch a video of
the copper-substituted lead phosphate apatite levitating at room temperature and pressure. Another paper, sent on the 31 st of July, tried to perform density functional theory estimations on LK-99, handling to recognize”correlated separated flat bands at the Fermi level,”which are a hallmark of superconducting crystals. First claimed effective duplication of LK-99 Achieved by a
team at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology and published 30 minutes ago. Why this isevidence: The LK-99 flake a little levitates for both orientations of the electromagnetic field, indicating it is not simply a. pic.twitter.com/bh0x9oqaz2– Andrew Cote(@Andercot)August 1, 2023 What’s more, a group at the Huazhong University of Science and Technology has actually currently declared the duplication of the Meissner impact on LK-99, as displayed in the above Xeet/tweet. The item is blueish purple
powder with faint metal shine as in literature pic.twitter.com/ooi9m401zL– Iris (@iris_IGB)July 29, 2023 Another X account has actually followed the
South Korean group’s footsteps to supposedly make the
LK-99. There are certain caveats, however. Some researchers have actually raised early flags concerning an information plot that details LK-99’s magnetic residential or commercial properties and is consisted of in both of the original documents sent by the South Korean group. Both plots are sourced from the very same dataset and
, therefore, should be identical. Nevertheless, one of the data plots has a y-axis that is 7,000 times larger than the other. While these inconsistencies do not challenge the South Korean team’s findings by themselves, they do involve the requirement for care. Which Investments Benefit if LK-99 Does Turn Out to be
the Miracle Room-Temperature Superconductor? If LK-99 does end up passing scientific rigor, it can alter the world as we know it, transforming whatever from electrical power transmission and transport to electronics and nuclear blend. Here are the investment styles that stand to benefit the most: Commodities, specifically lead and copper futures. Lead is a byproduct of Zinc mining, so business such as Teck Resources (NYSE: TECK)stand to benefit. Stocks of business that produce phosphate fertilizers, such as Coromandel International(NSE: COROMANDEL), likewise stand to benefit. VanEck Rare Earth ETF(REMX ). Top electrical wire manufacturers such as Sumitomo
Electric Industries Ltd.(TYO: 5802)and Dacon Systems. Manufacturers of medical imaging devices such as General Electric
(NYSE: GE )and Siemens Healthineers(ETR: SHL). Do you think LK-99 is about to transform our world as we know it? Let us know your ideas in the remarks section below. Note: The post has been edited to correct an error concerning the crucial temperature level for superconductivity.