Physicists from the Southern University of Science and Technology (SUSTech) in China have discovered signs of superconductivity in thin films of nickel oxide at a temperature of 45 Kelvin (–228°C) and normal pressure. This discovery, published in Nature, places nickelates among the third group of “unconventional superconductors,” alongside cuprates and pnictides, which operate at relatively high temperatures. Researchers hope that further experiments will help raise the critical temperature and bring us closer to creating superconductors that work under normal conditions.
The mechanism of high-temperature superconductivity remains a mystery, unlike low-temperature superconductors, which were explained in 1957. Nickelates have been of interest since 2019, when the first signs of their superconducting properties were found. In 2023, superconductivity in nickelates was confirmed, but under high pressure. Now, the SUSTech team has shown that these materials can lose resistance and expel magnetic fields at normal pressure, opening up new possibilities for research.
Scientists around the world are actively studying nickelates, hoping that they can help unite theories of high-temperature superconductivity. This could lead to breakthroughs in technologies like magnetic resonance imaging (MRI), making them more accessible and efficient. However, despite the optimism, researchers emphasize the need for further experiments to raise the critical temperature and understand the superconducting mechanisms in these materials.
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