Scientists theorize that having found one unconventional superconductor like PuCoGa5, they may find more in the future. Making the research even more intriguing is the fact that plutonium is a base actinide material of the compound. This new class of magnetically mediated superconductors might encompass a broad range of materials, metals to oxides, and be the path toward superconductor science’s ultimate goal to someday synthesize a “room-temperature” superconductor that would be the basis for the dissipation-less flow of electric current through power lines, and for an even more minute generation of computer chips.
The discovery is the result of collaboration between the Laboratory’s Materials Science and Technology and Theoretical divisions. In addition to Curro, the team includes Tod Caldwell, Eric Bauer, Luis Morales, Yunkyu Bang, Matthias Graf, Alexander Balatsky, Joe Thompson and John Sarrao.
From a LANL press release.