Among the things scientists are trying to find is a material that allows current to pass through it without any resistance. If it is successfully found, an electric motor that works at 100% efficiency can be produced while avoiding waste. This can be achieved through the use of superconducting materials but previously it could only be achieved at impractical sub-freezing temperatures.
A group of scientists from the University of Rochester have published a research paper that claims they discovered a superconducting material at a temperature of only 21 degrees Celsius. Among scientists, any material that exhibits superconducting properties at temperatures above 0 degrees Celsius is said to operate at room temperature.
Researchers came up with a new compound named Reddmatter. It is produced through lutetium hydrate combined with nitrogen. Although operating at room temperature, Reddmatter requires a pressure of 145,000 psi or the equivalent of 10,000 atmospheres.
Before showing superconducting properties, Reddmatter was blue before turning red at the required temperature and pressure. A paper on Reddmatter's production was published in the journal Nature but the discovery was met with skepticism by the scientific community as it was seen as impossible. This was not helped by the fact that the same team had previously made similar claims before the study paper was pulled from Nature after it failed to be substantiated.
Room temperature superconductors could revolutionize human civilization by enabling power grids, electric vehicles, MagLev trains and tokamaks that don't waste any input energy. A sustainable and clean energy future could become a reality if this University of Rochester discovery proves true.