Dec 24, 2019 19:00:00

It turns out that Lego blocks function as excellent insulation in an environment of almost absolute zero, and application to experimental equipment and quantum computers

LEGO (Lego) blocks, which can make various things by attaching blocks, are long-selling block toys that are loved by people around the world. A research team at the University of Lancaster in the UK discovered that such a Lego block functions as an excellent heat insulator in an environment of almost absolute zero , claiming that it may be applicable to the construction of special experimental equipment and quantum computers .

LEGO® Block Structures as a Sub-Kelvin Thermal Insulator | Scientific Reports
https://www.nature.com/articles/s41598-019-55616-7

The universe's coldest LEGO could help scientists built quantum computers | Inverse
https://www.inverse.com/article/61962-cold-quantum-lego

The state of the experiment in which the research team actually cooled the LEGO block to ultra-low temperature close to absolute zero can be seen in the following movie.

The Coolest LEGO ® in the Universe-2,000 Times Colder Than Deep Space-YouTube


Research Team Joshua Chawner physicists led the team with Mr Dmitry Zmeev devices behind Mr produces a low temperature by utilizing the heat of dilution when diluted with a mixed solution of a helium dilution refrigerator is.

The internal temperature of the dilution refrigerator is only 0.004

Kelvin (K). The temperature is almost zero.

The research team actually put the LEGO block into a dilution refrigerator to test how the LEGO block made of

ABS resin behaves in this ultra-low temperature environment. 'This is the most chilled Lego in the world,' Zmeev said with a laugh.

The research team manually removes the dilution refrigerator that has cooled the LEGO blocks.

When opening the cooling section inside, a red human-shaped Lego block appears.

Beside it, a four-tiered Lego block was left in its original form.

Despite being chilled to near zero degrees, Chawner said that the Lego block was alive.

In addition, the research team also attached copper plates on the top and bottom of the four layers of LEGO, and also measured how much insulation the LEGO block exerts in an environment of almost absolute zero.

As a result, it was found that LEGO blocks function as a very good thermal insulator in ultra-low temperature environments. The insulation performance of the LEGO block was superior to the glass ceramic material

Macor, which is generally used as an insulating material in ultra-low temperature environments. The research team believes that the reason for the good heat transfer efficiency of the LEGO blocks may be due to the shape and arrangement of the LEGO blocks joining together.

The team believes that the results are exciting because LEGO blocks are readily available and inexpensive, and many blocks can be combined to replicate experimental equipment. The research team also said that they are trying to make more sophisticated insulation based on the results of this time with parts made by 3D printing using ABS resin, which is the material of LEGO blocks.

The researchers point out that the results of the experiment could be useful in designing scientific instruments such as dilution refrigerators and in developing hardware for quantum computers. Quantum computers are known for their theoretically superior computational power, but because the superconducting materials used in quantum computer chips need to be kept at cryogenic temperatures near absolute zero, insulation that works at ultra-low temperatures Is a very important part.