Technology that can change everything: LK-99 material
Science and technology, research and development - they are the engine of progress, the catalyst for the development of human civilization. Fire, wheel, gunpowder, sail, steel, concrete, steam engine, electricity, internal combustion engine, antibiotics, vaccines, transistor, jet engine and nuclear power - the list goes on and on. Each of these discoveries in one way or another changed both the lives of individuals and humanity as a whole.
Look into the future
At some point, science began to predict the emergence of a particular technology, which, if implemented, would have to radically affect the further course stories. Such technologies include a thermonuclear reactor, cloning, drugs that slow down, stop or reverse aging, nanotechnology (this concept is pretty vulgarized and discredited by marketing and bureaucrats), quantum computers, artificial intelligence and much more.
For those who want to understand what real nanotechnology is, the book is recommended to read. "Machines of Creation: The Coming Era of Nanotechnology", written by scientists C. Eric Drexler with Marvin Minsky back in 1986
Demand for the "future" leads to illusions, false hopes and discoveries. Some are obtained by chance, as a result of an error - an incorrectly conducted experiment or its incorrectly evaluated results, and some are the result of a banal fraud for the sake of money and fame - just remember the "nanofilters" of water purification, cold nuclear fusion technology, Rossi's energy catalyst, various drugs that give almost eternal life, and so on and so forth.
What can you do, people go to live long, be healthy, have cheap and clean energy, believe in a miracle, which is what various scammers and adventurers use. In addition, a certain degradation of the population of the developed countries of the planet contributes to the spread of near-scientific myths - it is funny and at the same time a little scary to watch how people deny science and technology, while actively using their achievements, for example, in the form of smartphones and modern cars, but they readily believe in horoscopes, divination, superstition and other obscurantism.
It is characteristic that even when reliable information appears that the next “perpetual motion machine” or “cure for aging” is just a scam, then numerous conspiracy theories arise that Masons / oil companies / pharmaceutical companies / world government (underline as necessary ) they simply hid the truth, bought/killed the developer so as not to lose profit, however, who knows, such a scenario cannot be 100% ruled out...
One of the technologies that can have a revolutionary impact on the course of human history is the effect of high-temperature superconductivity, when the transfer of electrical energy is carried out without loss in the resistance of the material.
Grail of modern physics
We are talking about a material that can provide the effect of superconductivity at room temperature, since technically superconducting materials have been created quite a long time ago, but they provide the effect of superconductivity at extremely low temperatures, and the higher the temperature at which this or that material provides the effect of superconductivity, the it is more difficult to produce it; this requires the most complex chemical compounds obtained under enormous pressure and temperatures. The problem is aggravated by the fact that there is still no final physical theory explaining the effect of superconductivity, therefore, the development of new superconducting materials is often carried out empirically, in other words, “by the method of scientific poking”.
And so, On April 30, 2023, information was published on the South Korean resource journal.kci.go.kr about obtaining a material with superconductivity at room temperature. A On July 22, 2023, this information was published on the arXiv.org website, after which it gained worldwide fame.
Such records can become historical evidence of overcoming an important milestone in the development of mankind.
The LK-99 material synthesized by Korean scientists, according to them, demonstrated all the characteristics inherent in superconductors, including it had zero resistance to current at a temperature of about 30 degrees Celsius (superconductivity was completely lost only after overcoming the mark of 127 degrees Celsius), and also showed the Meissner effect - floating in the air in a magnetic field, while being a non-magnetic material.
Not only is the groundbreaking LK-99 material superconductive at room temperature, but it's also easy enough to make, so much so that it could theoretically be produced in an advanced school lab.
Levitation of non-magnetic material LK-99 in a magnetic field. Picture of Hyun-Tak Kim
LK-99 is a lead apatite structure that results from the combination of the minerals lanarkite (Pb2SO5) and copper phosphide (Cu3P), which are then fired in a four-day, multi-step, solid phase synthesis process. The superconductivity of the LK-99 material is due to slight structural distortions caused by a volume shrinkage of 0,48% of the crystal structure of the material, which is caused by the substitution of Cu2+ ions for Pb2+ ions in the Pb phosphate insulating network. At the same time, changes in the crystal structure remain stable, which ensures the preservation of superconductivity.
To date, the discovery has been confirmed by two scientific groups: a specialist from the Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, Sinead Griffin, analyzed the structure of the material on the laboratory's supercomputer, while the simulation confirmed the characteristics of the LK-99 material declared by the Koreans, and Chinese scientists from the Huazhong University of Science and Technologies reproduced in their laboratory the technological process presented by the Koreans, independently synthesized a sample of LK-99 material and tested its levitation in a magnetic field.
The problem is that Sinead Griffin’s theoretical conclusion is of little value without practical reproduction of the results, it is possible that this is just an attempt to “stick to history”, and the experience of Chinese scientists so far does not look very reliable - too small a sample, too indistinct shooting angles.
Limitless prospects
It is very difficult to assess the impact that a material that is superconductive at room temperature will have on science and industry. One thing is for sure - the changes will be revolutionary, 5-10 years - and it will be a completely different world.
In what areas will there be the most significant changes?
Of course, first of all, this is the energy sector - new highly efficient electric generators, electric motors, electric energy accumulators, transmission of electricity with virtually no losses. A breakthrough in terms of creating a thermonuclear reactor is quite possible.
This will radically affect not only the markets for raw materials and energy, but will also lead to an explosive spread of electric vehicles - even now some models of electric vehicles are superior in performance to their gasoline and diesel counterparts, and with the use of superconducting materials, the gap will be so significant that you can use cars with internal combustion engines ( internal combustion engine) just no one wants to.
The niche of electric aircraft, both manned and unmanned, will also expand significantly. A large number of all-electric and hybrid boats of all classes can be expected. And, of course, maglev trains.
Then comes electronics - new types of processors, memories, quantum computers, compact MRI (magnetic resonance imaging) scanners, scientists will have at their disposal highly efficient particle accelerators, electron scanning microscopes.
All this can (and will) lead to further breakthroughs in science, in other words, a material that has superconductivity at room temperature will give the strongest positive feedback in the field of technology development and scientific discoveries.
And, of course, we can't escape the use of all these technologies for military purposes.
As in the case of vehicles, ground combat platforms will at least be made according to a hybrid scheme, at the same time, many combat vehicles, especially in the light weight category, mainly unmanned and remotely controlled, will become fully electric.
Will be widely disseminated "atmospheric satellites" - electric drones capable of soaring in the stratosphere for years, performing reconnaissance and communications tasks.
Now special units of the leading countries of the world consider electric aircraft as highly efficient and inconspicuous vehicles, and after the introduction of technologies based on a high-temperature superconductor, these machines will become much more advanced.
The capabilities of non-nuclear submarines (NSNs) will come even closer to those that only nuclear-powered ships currently have. And, of course, marine drones of all classes will be widely used.
A logical consequence of breakthroughs in the electric power industry will be the improvement and dissemination of energy weapons - lasers and sources of electromagnetic radiation of other wavelength ranges, projects of rail guns and Gauss guns will be reanimated.
Laser weapons and railguns can quickly take their place on the battlefield
The improvement of radar stations (RLS) will make the existing technologies for reducing visibility meaningless, however, it is quite likely that technologies will appear to create smart skins that can actively interfere with the operation of enemy radars.
Quantum communications will provide guaranteed encryption of information, and quantum computers will make it possible to hack the existing quantum-unprotected communications of the enemy with a high probability.
The rapid breakthrough of technologies will ensure the emergence of new strong regional players, the intersection of the global interests of states and corporations. All this will create many reasons for the emergence of hot spots.
However, it may also happen that the old conflicts become irrelevant, and some Ukraine is simply pushed into the "dusty box".
Conclusions
Apparently, the miracle did not happen - according to the latest information, samples of material obtained in the course of experiments by independent laboratories, an analogue of LK-99 material, do not have the properties of a superconductor.
In particular, according to experts from the Center for High-Temperature Superconductivity and Quantum Materials named after V.I. VL Ginzburg FIAN, it is generally a dielectric. Similar information comes from other universities around the world.
On the other hand, it is possible that the material obtained by other researchers is somewhat different from what was obtained by South Korean scientists. Eventually, the truth will come out pretty quickly.
What was it - fraud, incompetence or excessive optimism of South Korean scientists?
Most likely, we will never know. If the discovery is confirmed, then we “stock up on popcorn” - this has never happened in recent history.
The question is how much this or a similar discovery can affect the course of human history, how close we can be to it, how irrelevant all political, economic and environmental forecasts of human development may turn out to be, and whether we are ready for how Can the world that exists now change rapidly?
Information