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Niobium's superconducting switch cuts near-field radiative heat transfer 20-fold
- February 3, 2026 at 12:46 PM
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When cooled to its superconducting state, niobium blocks the radiative flow of heat 20 times better than when in its metallic state, according to a study led by a University of Michigan Engineering team. The experiment marks the first use of superconductivity—a quantum property characterized by zero electrical resistance—to control thermal radiation at the nanoscale.
Originally published at Phys.org