After 80 Years, Metallic Hydrogen May Finally Be Created

More than 80 years ago, Physicist Eugene Paul Wigner predicted that hydrogen could turn into an electricity-conducting solid metal at the right temperature and pressure. This started the quest to attempt to synthesize this material, which is anticipated to end soon:

A team of researchers in France has posted a paper on the arXiv physics preprint server describing their observation of metallic hydrogen under pressures greater than those inside Earth’s core. Several times, other researchers have claimed to discover this phase of matter, claims that are generally met with varying levels of skepticism. But some experts think that this newest claim could be the real deal.
[...]
The discovery of metallic hydrogen would be exciting for a few reasons. Of course, it would prove experimentally that the material existed. It might transmit electricity without heating up, meaning it would be a superconductor, perhaps even a room-temperature superconductor. That’s another long-sought goal of physicists and could revolutionize electronics. Further, such a metal might fill the centers of massive planets like Jupiter, so being able to create it here on Earth could help us learn more about those planets.

Image Credit: Loubeyre et al (arXiv 2019)


Login to comment.




Email This Post to a Friend
"After 80 Years, Metallic Hydrogen May Finally Be Created"

Separate multiple emails with a comma. Limit 5.

 

Success! Your email has been sent!

close window
X

This website uses cookies.

This website uses cookies to improve user experience. By using this website you consent to all cookies in accordance with our Privacy Policy.

I agree
 
Learn More