A group of researchers caused controversy by ensuring that managed to solve a mystery of more than 80 years
Scientists in the united States ensure that they have finally succeeded in bringing the hydrogen to a state in which it behaves as a metal.
If this is true, ends a search of more than 80 years to produce what many believe would be a “metal wonder”.
The theory suggests that the hydrogen metal could be used to make electrical wiring of zero resistance and fuel for rockets very powerful, among many other uses.
Ranga Dias and Isaac Silvera are the researchers of the University of Harvard (united States) behind this finding.
The details of his experiments appeared in this week’s edition of the journal Science.
“this Is the first time that the hydrogen metal has existed on the planet Earth,” said Silvera to the BBC.
Both pointed out that the amount of hydrogen metallic created up to now is tiny, smaller than the cross-section of a human hair.
But they believe that with time, might be other ways of boosting their production.
How you created it?
The investigator-Ranga Dias in front of the place of the experiment. Photo: THE NATION
Your approach of laboratory, as is common in this field of study, consisted of compressing a cell that contained a small sample of molecular hydrogen between two synthetic diamonds.
Days and Silvera said they used a device that had a pressure of up to 495 gigapascales.
This is equivalent to sitting under almost 5 million earth atmospheres.
The device they used, called the DAC, is also cooled to about 270 degrees centigrade below zero.
The intention erajuntar the hydrogen atoms so close together that they form a crystal lattice, and begin to share their electrons.
This is the behavior of a metal.
“When we increase the pressure, began to shine. It was very exciting. Had a reflection of 90%, more or less a mirror of aluminum”, noted in the BBC’s Science in Action.
Skeptics
This illustration shows how the atoms come together and share their electrons in the metal. Photo: THE NATION
The experiment of academics from Harvard, has caused a certain degree of skepticism.
Other scientists working in related fields, have told the BBC that the study team is short on the type of data needed to make a proper assessment of their achievements.
“A complete waste”, is as the scientist Eugene Gregoryanz, University of Edinburgh (Scotland), described the research.
This resistance is natural. If the claims of these researchers is confirmed, it would represent one of the greatest discoveries of physics in recent decades.
“The skepticism here is probably good, since that will encourage many other scientists to reproduce this experiment,” he told the BBC’s Marcus Knudson, Sandia labs National, in the U.S.
Properties “impressive”
The hydrogen in metal would give the rockets a capacity prodigious propulsion. Photo: THE NATION
more than 80 years Ago, it was predicted that there could be hydrogen-metal. Since then, there has been a scientific career to create it.
According to the promise, there are properties “impressive” connected to the material.
For example, once it is submitted to extreme conditions, would maintain their status even to bring it back to the pressures and environmental temperatures.
The hydrogen in metal would give the rockets a capacity prodigious propulsion.
And if, as some think, it is also a superconducting zero resistance, could lead to a revolution in the transmission and storage of electricity.
The u.s. space agency also is fascinated with the material.
liquid hydrogen super cold already makes it a thruster rockets very powerful, but the metal form a dense, hydrogen promises to provide levels really colossal thrust that would allow heavy loads of huge uplift of the Land.
But all this is pure speculation for now.
First, it must be shown that the Harvard study can be reproduced.
If this is possible, and a few have put in doubt, then it should be created in smaller amounts, considerable hydrogen-metal.
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