Designs for a Cooler Planet
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AI accelerates the search for a room-temperature superconductor
Electric current that flows without resistance would revolutionize electronics and save vast amounts of energy.
Energy consumption in the ICT sector is growing rapidly, and its CO₂ emissions are projected to at least double by 2040.
In the phenomenon known as superconductivity, electricity can flow without resistance, meaning no energy is lost. However, current superconductors require extremely low temperatures or high pressure to function.
The international SuperC consortium, led by Aalto University, aims to discover a superconducting material that works at room temperature by 2033, using quantum geometry and AI to screen suitable candidates from millions of possible materials.
‘Such a discovery would be a major step forward for sustainable development, for example via energy-efficient computation, electricity transport, and magnets for levitating trains and fusion energy’ says Professor Päivi Törmä, who leads the consortium.
SuperC (external link)
The SuperC consortium, coordinated by Aalto, strives to find a room-temperature superconductor by 2033.
How to search for a material that does not yet exist? Researchers are looking for a room-temperature superconductor
The SuperC consortium aims to develop a room-temperature superconductor, a discovery which would deliver enormous energy savings. What’s it like to try to create a material that doesn’t exist?