Research - Superconductor Discovery

Superconductor

Wellington-based scientists from Industrial Research Ltd have discovered the only material in the world that can be used commercially for the production of high-temperature superconductor wire.

For the best part of the 20th century, scientists struggled to find a superconducting material that operated at the higher, much more practical temperature of inexpensive liquid nitrogen (minus 196 Celsius). It was a race for research teams all over the world to be first.

A New Material

In 1988 the New Zealand team of Dr Jeff Tallon, Dr Bob Buckley and Dr Murray Presland became recognised as an international force in the field of superconductivity. The material they have discovered is a metal oxide consisting of bismuth, lead, strontium, calcium, copper and oxygen – known as BSCCO-2223.

It took 13 years of legal battles and near endless appeals pitted against some of the world’s largest companies to win the US patent.

'It’s extremely satisfying,' says Dr Tallon. 'We’ve been through a long drawn out battle and emerged victorious.'

Business Opportunities

Opportunities for New Zealand firms to build high value businesses around this technology are now being pursued. The extraordinary current carrying capacity of superconductors has opened the way for major innovations in electrical engineering, from power generation and transmission, to the manufacture of lighter, more powerful magnets, generators and motors.

'In the long-term we hope this discovery will initiate a cluster of advanced technology companies including multinationals to become established in the Wellington region,' says Dr Tallon.

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