Korean scientists behind bogus superconductor declare success again

A computer-generated image of a superconductor [SHUTTERSTOCK]

A group of Korean scientists behind a viral superconductor claim that took the social media and stock market by a wild, yet short-lived, storm last year has once again come up with a new compound that they insist is the world’s first room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconductor. The claims have so far been met with skepticism from the scientific community.

Real or not? What to know about new 'superconductor' claim

The claims were put forward by Kim Hyun-tak, a physics professor at the College of William and Mary, during a presentation on Monday at the American Physical Society meeting held in Minneapolis, Minnesota.

Kim, along with four co-authors including Lee Suk-bae, CEO of Quantum Energy Research Centre (QERC) — who has been a central figure in the superconductor claim — argued that they synthesized a new material, dubbed PCPOSOS, which exhibits superconducting behavior at room temperature and atmospheric pressure.

An actual sample was not presented by Kim during the meeting.

Kim explained that PCPOSOS displayed partial levitation when placed on a magnet, one of the prominent characteristics of superconductivity, as well as zero resistance, and further claimed that the results have been replicated by other research teams.

Kim added that his team will publish a manuscript explaining how the material has been synthesized to demonstrate the formula in detail on the preprint site arXiv.

However, some fellow scientists were quick to shoot down the claim on social media, saying that the latest findings remained largely similar to the previously debunked claim last year and that data provided by the team lacks scientific evidence of actual superconductivity.

The debut of PCPOSOS follows the previous study done by the group last summer that LK-99, a compound of lead, copper, phosphorous and oxygen, exhibited superconductivity.

The claims drove quite a buzz in the academic circle and online space, even sending some superconductor-related stocks soaring in the market, but were soon debunked by global scientists and research institutes.

Kang Suk-il, a physics professor at Jeonbuk National University, said that the latest research “seems to remain mostly the same from the previous study with no notable update,” and that he believes the claims are “not yet proven to be trustworthy,” especially given that an a physical sample did not appear during the presentation.

The Korean Society of Superconductivity and Cryogenics launched a research team in August to verify the superconductivity claims and concluded on Dec. 13 that “there is no evidence at all proving that [LK-99] is a room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconductor.”

Korean investors flocked to pick up superconductor-related stocks ahead of Kim's presentation during the APS meeting, briefly driving the share price of Shinsung Delta Tech up to 137,900 won ($104) mid-trading on Monday, up 12.11 percent from the previous trading day, before it closed at 123,300 won.

Shinsung Delta Tech plunged on Tuesday, following the announcement, to close at 150,100 won, a fall of 14.79 percent.

Kosdaq-listed Shinsung Delta Tech has been considered a superconductor-themed stock along with Power Logics as the companies have invested in a venture company that holds a stake in QERC.

Room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconductor has long been a holy grail in science and technology circles, as an electric current could theoretically pass through it without losing energy. If created, it could bring fundamental changes to every aspect of electricity, from transportation to power generation, and significantly boost its efficiency.

BY SHIN HA-NEE [shin.hanee@joongang.co.kr]