Academic body invalidates superconductor research results
![A photo of LK-99, a compound that a group of Korean researchers claim has superconductivity, provided by Kim Hyun-tak, one of the co-authors of the study [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2023/08/03/76a18ddc-4a95-40fd-a50e-2e3d53c06169.jpg)
A photo of LK-99, a compound that a group of Korean researchers claim has superconductivity, provided by Kim Hyun-tak, one of the co-authors of the study [SCREEN CAPTURE]
A Korean superconductivity academic body invalidated the research results from a team of Korean researchers claiming to have developed a room-temperature superconductor in its preliminary assessment.
"Data from the studies published by Quantum Energy Research Centre indicates different physical properties from that of a typical superconducting material," the Korean Society of Superconductivity and Cryogenics (KSSC) told the Korea JoongAng Daily Thursday, explaining its skepticism towards the results.
Moreover, "it can be argued that the movement of the specimen shown in the footage [of the superconductor released by Quantum Energy Research Centre] can be recreated with materials that are not superconductive."
That means LK-99, the material that the Korean research team claims is superconductive at room temperature, does not exhibit zero resistivity and the expulsion of a magnetic field known as the Meissner effect.
Quantum Energy Research Centre is a Seoul-based, privately-held corporation. Company CEO Lee Suk-bae led a Korean research team that claims to have created the world’s first room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconducting material, considered the holy grail in the science and technology communities since it allows electrical currents to pass through without losing energy.
Authored by Lee and five other researchers, the team’s preliminary papers claim that a compound of lead, copper, phosphorus and oxygen, dubbed LK-99, can be used for superconducting at room temperatures and ambient atmospheric pressures. The studies are self-archived, meaning that they require peer review for further scientific verification.
On Wednesday, the KSSC launched a committee to verify the claims, saying that "based on the studies and footage, the material appearing in the research and the footage cannot be considered as a room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconductor," adding that it will run tests to verify the property of the claimed superconducting material if Quantum Energy provides a sample.
Spearheaded by Kim Chang-young, a physics professor at Seoul National University, the verification committee includes research institutes from Seoul National University, Korea University, Pohang University of Science and Technology and Sungkyunkwan University.
Meanwhile, the Quantum Energy Research Centre was found to have falsely named local companies and research institutes as partners on its website on Thursday.
The company shut down its homepage that day.
![Quantum Energy Research Centre, a Seoul-based company behind the latest research that claims to have developed a room-temperature superconductor, shut down its website on Thursday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]](https://koreajoongangdaily.joins.com/data/photo/2023/08/03/5f54f9fa-d6dc-4791-91cc-c728fd761e6e.jpg)
Quantum Energy Research Centre, a Seoul-based company behind the latest research that claims to have developed a room-temperature superconductor, shut down its website on Thursday. [SCREEN CAPTURE]
Samsung SDI, SKC solmics — which was rebranded to SK enpulse in January —, LG Innotek, Posco, Samsung Electro-Mechanics and Japan’s Sumimoto Corporation are some of the names that appeared on the website as partners, along with local research organizations and universities such as Korea University, Hanyang University, the Korean Chemical Society, and Korea Research Institute of Chemical Technology.
However, LG Innotek said that it “has no connection whatsoever” with Quantum Energy Research Centre.
“We have asked the Quantum Energy Research Centre to remove our company’s logo from its website, and to explain how it has been misappropriated,” the electronic device part supplier said.
Samsung SDI and Samsung Electro-Mechanics confirmed that “no official request has been made [from Quantum Energy] for partnership.”
SK enpulse also said that it is “not in any cooperative relationship” with Quantum Energy.
The companies confirmed that they have not been involved in any joint research projects with Quantum Energy Research Centre before.
While the company’s website previously displayed a message that it has been blocked due to excessive traffic, it has now been shut down altogether as of Thursday with a message saying that it is “under construction.”
BY SHIN HA-NEE, CHOI SEO-IN [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]
with the Korea JoongAng Daily
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