Posted: 8/12/2019
We have been waiting for superconductivity at room temperature to become reality for decades. Scientists are constantly making significant advances in this direction. There is a good chance to achieve it within the next 10-20 years in my estimation.
Lately, research progress on superlubricity (frictionless surfaces and motion) has become more impressive as well (see e.g. S1). “Predicted [only] in the 1980s and 1990s, structural superlubricity was first conclusively spotted and reported in 2004, when researchers showed that the ease with which a graphite flake slides over another graphite surface depended strongly on its orientation: At certain rotation angles, friction dropped to next to nothing, the team noted in Physical Review Letters.” (S1; emphasis added)
Just to give an idea of the enormity: “It’s estimated that a third of the energy that goes into powering fossil fuel–[engine] cars is lost to friction, converted into other forms of energy like heat and sound.” (S1; emphasis added). Just imagine e.g. car tires (coefficient of friction of 1) had a lot less friction on the road, huge amounts of energy could be saved daily.
If anyone of these two, i.e. superconductivity or superlubricity, could be achieved, or better, both, we would be having an unprecedented energy revolution!
Sources (S):
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