Can doping graphite trigger room temperature superconductivity? Evidence for granular high-temperature superconductivity in water-treated graphite powder

TL;DR

This study reports that simple water treatment of graphite powder induces granular superconductivity with a critical temperature above 300K, suggesting potential for room temperature superconductivity in doped graphite.

Contribution

It provides experimental evidence that water treatment can induce high-temperature granular superconductivity in graphite powder, a novel approach compared to traditional doping methods.

Findings

Superconducting behavior observed above 300K in water-treated graphite.

Magnetic characteristics indicate weakly coupled superconducting grains.

Presence of superconducting vortices confirmed through magnetic measurements.

Abstract

Trying to dope graphite flakes we found that the magnetization of pure, several tens of micrometers grain size graphite powder and after a simple treatment with pure water shows clear and reproducible granular superconducting behavior with a critical temperature above 300K. The observed magnetic characteristics as a function of temperature, magnetic field and time, provide evidence for weakly coupled grains through Josephson interaction, revealing the existence of superconducting vortices.