- #1
Megus
- 33
- 0
Is it possibly to make a superconductor at home ? I mean with limited funds and ... you know. Maybe this idea is a bit crazy but I'd like to know.
ZapperZ said:I would HIGHLY recommend that you do NOT even attempt to make such compounds. ALL the high-Tc cuprates consist of at least ONE extremely toxic element (Y, Ba, Tl, Hg, etc).
Gokul43201 said:However, I don't think it's as hard to get the doping levels right. This is just a matter of correctly calculating weight ratios and having a fairly sensitive balance.
ZapperZ said:No, I don't mean the doping level in terms of the proportions of the various elements. I mean the "hole doping" content. When you synthesized the cuprate out of the furnace, you first make the insulating parent compound (the Mott insulator). This isn't a superconductor (it isn't even a "good" conductor). For hole doped cuprates, you have to anneal it in oxygen just with the right pressure, and length of time, to get it to optimum doping where Tc is the highest. If you annealed it too little, you are underdoped and you run into the pseudogap states and encounter a bunch of issues. If you annealed it too much, you overdoped the material and Tc drops again (my avatar is the ARPES spectra of a highly overdoped Bi2212 cuprate).
So "doping" here is the hole content (or electron content for electron-doped cuprates).
Zz.
The most commonly used materials for making home-made superconductors are ceramics such as yttrium barium copper oxide (YBCO) and bismuth strontium calcium copper oxide (BSCCO), as well as certain metals like niobium and tin. These materials have high critical temperatures and are relatively easy to obtain.
To create a superconducting material at home, you will need to mix the desired materials in specific ratios, heat them up to a high temperature, and then cool them down rapidly. This process is called annealing, and it allows the material to form the necessary crystal structure for superconductivity.
No, a regular oven does not reach the high enough temperatures required for annealing superconducting materials. Instead, you will need to use a specialized furnace or kiln that can reach temperatures above 900 degrees Celsius.
It is important to handle superconducting materials with caution, as some of them can be toxic. Make sure to wear proper protective gear, such as gloves and a mask, when handling the materials. It is also important to work in a well-ventilated area and follow all safety guidelines.
While it is possible to create a superconducting material at home, it is unlikely that it will have the necessary properties for practical applications. Superconductors used in industries such as transportation and energy production require precise composition and processing techniques. Home-made superconductors may be useful for educational purposes or small-scale experiments, but they are not suitable for industrial use.