Researchers at Harvard University announced that they succeeded in producing "metal hydrogen" for the first time in the world, attention is drawn to whether the metal state can be maintained at normal temperature and pressure

By applying extremely high pressure to hydrogen, metal-like hydrogen "Metal hydrogenHarvard University researchers announced that they succeeded in generating ". If metal hydrogen is put into practical use,SuperconductivityIt is expected to be applied in various fields such as realization of high energy rocket fuel and development of super high speed computer.

Observation of the Wigner-Huntington transition to metallic hydrogen | Science
http://science.sciencemag.org/content/early/2017/01/25/science.aal1579

Hydrogen turned into metal in stunning act of alchemy that could revolutionise technology and spaceflight | The Independent
http://www.independent.co.uk/news/science/hydrogen-metal-revolution-technology-space-rockets-superconductor-harvard-university-a7548221.html

"Hydrogen", the simplest material composed of one proton and one electron, has been thought to change its molecular structure to metal (metal hydrogen) by applying extremely high pressure. Since electrons are expected to have superconductivity in hydrogen in this metallic state, it is expected that superconductivity will be put into practical use if metallic hydrogen exists at normal temperature and atmospheric pressure. For this reason, researchers from all over the world were studying to produce metallic hydrogen.

Meanwhile, Dr. Isaac Silvera of Harvard University who studies metal hydrogen and Dr. Langa Diaz, "I succeeded in generating metal hydrogen for the first time in the world" as Science Journal SciencepaperAnnounced. In this study, it was said that it produced metallic hydrogen with a reflectance of 0.91 by applying a pressure higher than the center of the earth of 495 GPa. It is assumed that the estimated values ​​of atomic density predicted from the Drude model match and confirm the properties of atomic metals.


You can check how the Silvera explains metallurgic hydrogen in the following movie.

Making metallic hydrogen at Harvard - YouTube


Even if metallic hydrogen is generated, the big problem is whether metal hydrogen can exist at normal temperature and normal pressure. There are not a few scientists who anticipate that the metal state can be maintained even if the pressure is lowered once the hydrogen molecules are dissociated and changed to metallic hydrogen once it receives high pressure, and superconductivity is reached under normal temperature and atmospheric pressure There is great expectation for metal hydrogen as a substance to have.

Currently, Harvard laboratory maintains a very small amount of metallic hydrogen by keeping applying high pressure at low temperature below 0 degree. The sample considered to be this metal hydrogen will be carefully released from the high pressure state within the next few weeks.

Metallic hydrogen requires enormous energy for generation, and if it converts again to a hydrogen molecular state, it can release large energy, so it will revolutionize rocket technology as a powerful rocket propellant which could not have been possible before There is a possibility. In addition, if metallic hydrogen is used for electric wires, it is possible to eliminate energy loss that is lost by 15% at the time of power transmission, and revolutionary advances in linear technology and computer technology will be realized if superconductivity is realized at normal temperature and normal pressure There is also the possibility that it will be brought.


Whether the one created by Dr. Silvera's research is really metallic hydrogen or whether it can continue to exist as metallic hydrogen even after release from high pressure such as diamond born under pressure on carbon atom, It is likely to gather.

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"Metal Hydrogen", which is said to have been successfully produced in the world, disappeared from the laboratory - GIGAZINE