Uploaded May 2014 | Updated September 2026, 18 hours ago
Superconductivity -- Eliminating Resistance to Progress
In recent years, government regulations on fuel economy have sparked huge changes in the automobile industry, and it is only one of the first of many American industries which will be pushed to reduce CO2 emissions and total energy use as America strives for a greener future. While significant advances have been made in promoting reusable energy sources, the day when all energy produced is renewable is, in all likelihood, far away. Accordingly, a solution is needed which will allow American individuals and industries to consume far less energy in their lives without changing their habits. Such a solution would need to reduce energy use in many areas of society. Superconductors -- materials in which no electrical resistance is present, and therefore can carry current without loss, present a possible means toward this end. In addition to the advances in power transmission that loss-free current could provide, superconductors also can be used to make extremely powerful, low energy electromagnets. This means that superconductors present a method by which electric motors may be drastically improved, and by which frictional personal transportation energy losses may be drastically reduced, as is the case today in experimental superconducting Mag-Lev trains.
Unfortunately, the method which is used in the Japanese SC-MAGLEV trains today is not feasible for use in roadways, as the superconducting materials used in these systems only operate at temperatures around -170 degrees Celsius, and therefore require a constant supply of liquid nitrogen for cooling. This method was only made possible recently, by a ceramic (Yttrium barium copper oxide), as well as several similar ceramics, that have been discovered and demonstrate superconductivity at temperatures above the boiling temperature of liquid nitrogen. These materials therefore allow for superconductivity at a much lower cost than previous under 10 degrees Kelvin, and required liquid Helium cooling. Despite this huge benefit, these materials still could be improved. By finding ways to produce materials that are superconductors at even higher temperatures, the potential cost and complexity of such systems could be further reduced. The ways in which these material improvements can be attained can be understood through basic knowledge of what allows for superconductivity. In superconductive metals, superconductivity can be explained as a sudden transformation in which all of the electrons change at the quantum mechanical level, and move together through the material as one entity, without any resistance. In ceramics, however, this theory fails, and superconductivity is still not fully understood. What engineers do know is that the key to increasing the critical temperature at which the ceramics enter the superconducting state is found in increasing the density of CuO2 planes within the material, as well as increasing grain size. Currently, engineers are using complex heat treatments and combinations of elements to attempt to increase this plane density. If they find greater success, this could result in a material with superconducting properties at room temperature, which would make possible "superconducting highways", loss-free power transmission, and lightweight electric motors.
Song Names:
#1: Untitled by Matt Lockman (featured in video) and Adam Whitener
#2: Breathe Easy Remix by DJ Def Chad
Works Cited
Informational:
1. "American Magnetics." Superconductivity. American Magnetics Inc. 2012. Accessed April 2014. americanmagnetics.com/supercon.php
2. Cunningham, Justin. "Superconducting material set to improve performance of electric motors." Eureka. Findlay Media. February 2013. Accessed April 2014. eurekamagazine.co.uk/design-engineering-features/technology/superconducting-material-set-to-improve-performance-of-electric-motors/47910
3. Grant, Paul Michael. "High-temperature superconductivity: The great quantum conundrum." Nature. August 2011. Accessed April 2014. goo.gl/FTeyiM
4. "How are these superconductors made?" Colorado Superconductor, Inc. 2001. Accessed April 2014. users.qwest.net/~csconductor/Experiment_Guide/How%20our%20superconductors%20are%20made.htm
5. Li Shuang. "Energy Impact of Superconductors." Stanford University. Fall 2010. Accessed April 2014. http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2010/ph240/li1/
6. Livingstone, Paul. "The Business Side Of Superconductivity." R&D Magazine 52.7 (2010): 12-14. Computers & Applied Sciences Complete. Web. 5 May 2014.
Remainder of Works Cited including references to videos used can be found on the google plus page for this channel. (due to 5000 character limit on description)
Superconductivity -- Eliminating Resistance to Progress
In recent years, government regulations on fuel economy have sparked huge changes in the automobile industry, and it is only one of the first of many American industries which will be pushed to reduce CO2 emissions and total energy use as America strives for a greener future. While significant advances have been made in promoting reusable energy sources, the day when all energy produced is renewable is, in all likelihood, far away. Accordingly, a solution is needed which will allow American individuals and industries to consume far less energy in their lives without changing their habits. Such a solution would need to reduce energy use in many areas of society. Superconductors -- materials in which no electrical resistance is present, and therefore can carry current without loss, present a possible means toward this end. In addition to the advances in power transmission that loss-free current could provide, superconductors also can be used to make extremely powerful, low energy electromagnets. This means that superconductors present a method by which electric motors may be drastically improved, and by which frictional personal transportation energy losses may be drastically reduced, as is the case today in experimental superconducting Mag-Lev trains.
Unfortunately, the method which is used in the Japanese SC-MAGLEV trains today is not feasible for use in roadways, as the superconducting materials used in these systems only operate at temperatures around -170 degrees Celsius, and therefore require a constant supply of liquid nitrogen for cooling. This method was only made possible recently, by a ceramic (Yttrium barium copper oxide), as well as several similar ceramics, that have been discovered and demonstrate superconductivity at temperatures above the boiling temperature of liquid nitrogen. These materials therefore allow for superconductivity at a much lower cost than previous under 10 degrees Kelvin, and required liquid Helium cooling. Despite this huge benefit, these materials still could be improved. By finding ways to produce materials that are superconductors at even higher temperatures, the potential cost and complexity of such systems could be further reduced. The ways in which these material improvements can be attained can be understood through basic knowledge of what allows for superconductivity. In superconductive metals, superconductivity can be explained as a sudden transformation in which all of the electrons change at the quantum mechanical level, and move together through the material as one entity, without any resistance. In ceramics, however, this theory fails, and superconductivity is still not fully understood. What engineers do know is that the key to increasing the critical temperature at which the ceramics enter the superconducting state is found in increasing the density of CuO2 planes within the material, as well as increasing grain size. Currently, engineers are using complex heat treatments and combinations of elements to attempt to increase this plane density. If they find greater success, this could result in a material with superconducting properties at room temperature, which would make possible "superconducting highways", loss-free power transmission, and lightweight electric motors.
Song Names:
#1: Untitled by Matt Lockman (featured in video) and Adam Whitener
#2: Breathe Easy Remix by DJ Def Chad
Works Cited
Informational:
1. "American Magnetics." Superconductivity. American Magnetics Inc. 2012. Accessed April 2014. americanmagnetics.com/supercon.php
2. Cunningham, Justin. "Superconducting material set to improve performance of electric motors." Eureka. Findlay Media. February 2013. Accessed April 2014. eurekamagazine.co.uk/design-engineering-features/technology/superconducting-material-set-to-improve-performance-of-electric-motors/47910
3. Grant, Paul Michael. "High-temperature superconductivity: The great quantum conundrum." Nature. August 2011. Accessed April 2014. goo.gl/FTeyiM
4. "How are these superconductors made?" Colorado Superconductor, Inc. 2001. Accessed April 2014. users.qwest.net/~csconductor/Experiment_Guide/How%20our%20superconductors%20are%20made.htm
5. Li Shuang. "Energy Impact of Superconductors." Stanford University. Fall 2010. Accessed April 2014. http://large.stanford.edu/courses/2010/ph240/li1/
6. Livingstone, Paul. "The Business Side Of Superconductivity." R&D Magazine 52.7 (2010): 12-14. Computers & Applied Sciences Complete. Web. 5 May 2014.
Remainder of Works Cited including references to videos used can be found on the google plus page for this channel. (due to 5000 character limit on description)
