Alcoholic beverages to boost availability of superconductive materials for lab equipment?

Lab equipment of the future could soon make use of alcoholic beverages after Japanese researchers discovered such liquids improve the superconducting ability of iron compounds.

Scientists at the National Institute for Materials Science, Japan, revealed the capabilities of such materials are boosted if they are immersed in hot beverages such as red wine or sake for a period of 24 hours.

Demand for superconducting materials has been rising due to their wide range of potential uses and this breakthrough has helped drastically reduce the time taken to give iron-based compounds the capability.

They can be made superconductive through exposure to air, however this process can take several months.

"This is a very, very long time," observed professor Yoshihiko Takano of the institute, adding: "The sample immersed in the red wine becomes superconductive only in one day."

Incorporation of superconductive materials may result in a need for improved plastics for use in lab equipment, after Duke University scientists revealed an electrical current can cause soft plastics to disintegrate.