It seems that there are two groups reporting the discovery of possible high-Tc superconductors in a new family of material, the hydrides. The Tc's are well above 200 K. The caveat? So far, they become superconducting at high pressures.
Researchers at the Max Planck Institute for Chemistry in Mainz, Germany say that lanthanum hydride (LaH10) could be superconducting at the remarkably high temperature of 250 K (-23°C), albeit at extreme pressures of around 170 GPa. Meanwhile, another team from George Washington University in the US says that it has found evidence of superconductivity in the same material at even higher temperatures of 280 K (7°C) under 202 GPa pressures. If confirmed, the findings could be a major step towards finding room-temperature superconductors.
You may read the preprint of one of the reports here.
As usual, we need to sit back, take a deep breath, and let the process runs through. These needs to be published first, and then independent groups will have to verify the results. Only THEN can we get excited about this news. So stay tune, a lot more will be coming.
Zz.
