Researchers at Tsinghua University Announce Superconducting Breakthrough

Researchers at Tsinghua University (China) announced what they claim is a breakthrough in superconducting technology. Using Bismuth Strontium Calcium Copper Oxide (BSCCO), the scientists managed to produce a high-temperature superconducting wire measuring 340m in length, 3.43mm wide and 0.15mm thick. Previously, only five other nations had developed superconducting wires, each with a length of just over 100m. These nations included China, Denmark, Japan, Germany and the US.

The BSCCO wire, wrapped in silver alloy and plated with insulated material, allows a current transit of 25A at -196 degrees C. It has no electric resistance and is claimed to offer a high-current density.

Accoding to Han Zhenghe, director of the Applied Superconductivity Research Center of Tsinghua University, the technology is expected to be applied in China in the coming three to five years. A World Bank estimate says that by 2010, the international market for such wires is expected to be worth $10 billion.