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LK99: Failed Room-Temperature Superconductor
2025/07/01·StepFun can make mistakes, check important info.
There was LK99, the supposed room temperature super conductor that could not be replicated by other labs.

Deep Research

Pre-verification Checklist

I. List of Items to Verify

  1. LK99, the supposed room temperature super conductor
  2. [LK99] could not be replicated by other labs

II. Elaboration of Items to Verify

Item 1: LK99, the supposed room temperature super conductor

  • Reason:
    1. This is the central claim defining the subject. The term "supposed" indicates the claim is contested or unproven, requiring verification of its origin and the evidence initially presented.
  • Key facts to ascertain:
    1. The identity of the research team that first made the claim about LK99.
    2. The specific properties claimed for LK99 in the original publication or announcement (e.g., superconductivity at room temperature and ambient pressure).
    3. The evidence (e.g., data, measurements) provided in the original source to support the claim.
  • Required sources:
    1. The original scientific preprints or peer-reviewed papers describing LK99.
    2. Reports from authoritative scientific news outlets (e.g., Nature, Science) covering the initial announcement.
  • Priority: High

Item 2: [LK99] could not be replicated by other labs

  • Reason:
    1. This is a strong, conclusive statement about the scientific outcome. It requires verification against the findings of the broader international research community, as absolute claims of universal failure can be misleading.
  • Key facts to ascertain:
    1. Which independent laboratories and research groups attempted to replicate the synthesis and testing of LK99.
    2. The published results of these replication attempts, including both successes and failures in synthesizing the material and observing the claimed properties.
    3. The final scientific consensus regarding LK99's properties, as documented in peer-reviewed literature and summaries by scientific bodies.
  • Required sources:
    1. Scientific papers (preprints or peer-reviewed) from other research groups detailing their replication efforts.
    2. Summary articles and official statements from authoritative scientific journals and institutions (e.g., Nature, Science, American Physical Society).
  • Priority: High

Action Plan

  1. Conduct a search to identify the original research paper or preprint that introduced LK99 and the scientists who authored it.
  2. Analyze the content of the original source to understand the specific claims made about LK99 being a room-temperature superconductor and the evidence provided.
  3. Search for subsequent scientific papers and reports from other independent research institutions detailing their attempts to replicate the LK99 experiment.
  4. Systematically review the findings from these replication studies, noting points of convergence and divergence in their results and conclusions.
  5. Search for review articles or summary reports from major scientific journals or news outlets (such as Nature or Science) that explain the scientific community's overall assessment and final consensus on the LK99 claims.
  6. Synthesize the information from the original claim and the replication efforts to determine the validity of the statement that LK99 "could not be replicated by other labs."

Let me start by searching for information about LK99 and the original research:

search

Search

LK99 room temperature superconductor original research paper
arxiv.org
arxiv.org
The superconductivity of LK-99 is proved with the Critical temperature (T_c), Zero-resistivity, Critical current (I_c), Critical magnetic field ...
storage.prod.researchhub.com
Several data were collected and analyzed in detail to figure out the puzzle of superconductivity of LK-99: X-ray diffraction. (XRD), X-ray ...
en.wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org
By mid-August 2023, the consensus was that LK-99 is not a superconductor at room temperature, and is an insulator in pure form. As of ...
thequantuminsider.com
Researchers say a copper-substituted lead apatite (CSLA) may serve as a candidate for room-temperature superconductivity.
researchgate.net
researchgate.net
The unique structure of LK-99 that allows the minute distorted structure to be maintained in the interfaces is the most important factor that LK-99 maintains ...
papers.ssrn.com
This research paper presents a detailed study of the synthesis, characterization, and superconducting properties of LK-99.
link.aps.org
link.aps.org
... LK-99, might be a room-temperature superconductor at ambient pressure. ... Independently to our work, three other DFT studies appeared simultaneously on arXiv
pubs.acs.org
pubs.acs.org
The four-probe resistivity measurement confirms the absence of superconductivity in LK-99 at room temperature, as the sample at room temperature ...
https://static-favicon.basemind.com/01JV3GETNJ8XHZD6B9GS95G5WQ
https://static-favicon.basemind.com/01JVBN8XHWBH6M4GHH6XVVK7VW
https://static-favicon.basemind.com/01JV5MQMHVFT6179EQHCFSEWGT
View all 16 sources

I'll begin investigating the LK99 room temperature superconductor claims and whether they could be replicated by other labs.

First, let me examine the original research paper to understand the initial claims:

web parsing

Now I'll search for information about replication attempts and the scientific consensus on LK99:

search

Search

LK99 superconductor replication attempts scientific consensus
nature.com
nature.com
Researchers seem to have solved the puzzle of LK-99. Scientific detective work has unearthed evidence that the material is not a superconductor.
en.wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org
By mid-August 2023, the consensus was that LK-99 is not a superconductor at room temperature, and is an insulator in pure form. As of ...
sciencedirect.com
sciencedirect.com
A flurry of scientific investigations into LK-99 ensued and now a consensus is emerging that the material, as described by its creators, is ...
hansonbridgett.com
A team of researchers in South Korea had created a material called LK-99 that behaved as a superconductor at room temperature and ambient pressure.
newscientist.com
Determining what it means for LK-99 samples to be of high quality has proven controversial and challenging throughout the replication attempts.
cell.com
cell.com
The consensus was that the material is not a room-temperature superconductor ... scientific endeavors, we can learn from the replication attempts.
medium.com
medium.com
Despite varied replication outcomes, consensus eluded the scientific community. Conflicting interpretations emerged, with some reports ...
physicsworld.com
“Science isn't a court of law, and we're unlikely to get 'proof' that the original LK-99 samples don't contain any superconductor,” he says.
https://static-favicon.basemind.com/01J7E9YA8AD76D5AP3RKNDWDP3
https://static-favicon.basemind.com/01JVBSG25GQBYVSD144JHVHH7S
View all 16 sources

Let me look at the Nature article about LK99 to understand why it failed replication:

web parsing

Verified Conclusions List

Item 1: LK99, the supposed room temperature super conductor

  • Preliminary conclusion: This statement is accurate. In July 2023, a team of researchers from South Korea published preprint papers claiming to have synthesized a material named LK-99, which they described as the world's first room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconductor.
  • Source support highlights:
    1. The original preprint paper explicitly claims to have synthesized a room-temperature superconductor working at ambient pressure with a critical temperature (Tc) of at least 400 K (127°C).
    2. Wikipedia and multiple science news outlets confirm that a team from Korea University led by Lee Sukbae and Kim Ji-Hoon published these claims in July 2023.
  • Evidence:
    1. Verbatim excerpt: "For the first time in the world, we succeeded in synthesizing the room-temperature superconductor ( K, 127C) working at ambient pressure with a modified lead-apatite (LK-99) structure."
      Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.12008
      Source name: arXiv.org
      Publication date: 2023-07-22
    2. Verbatim excerpt: "A team from Korea University led by Lee Sukbae (이석배) and Kim Ji-Hoon (김지훈) began studying this material as a potential superconductor starting in 1999. In July 2023, they published preprints claiming that it acts as a room-temperature superconductor at temperatures of up to 400 K (127 °C; 260 °F) at ambient pressure."
      Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LK-99
      Source name: Wikipedia
      Publication date: unknown (page is continuously updated)
  • Consistency of source conclusions: consistent
  • Requires further verification: no

Item 2: [LK99] could not be replicated by other labs

  • Preliminary conclusion: This statement is accurate. Following the initial announcement, numerous independent research groups attempted to replicate the synthesis and findings. By mid-August 2023, a broad scientific consensus emerged that LK-99 is not a superconductor at room temperature, and the phenomena observed by the original team were attributable to other factors, primarily impurities in the samples.
  • Source support highlights:
    1. An article in the journal Nature from August 2023 states that scientific investigation has concluded LK-99 is not a superconductor.
    2. Wikipedia's entry on LK-99 summarizes the outcome, stating that by mid-August 2023, the consensus was that LK-99 is not a superconductor and that a prominent cause for the observed effects was a copper sulfide impurity.
  • Evidence:
    1. Verbatim excerpt: "Researchers seem to have solved the puzzle of LK-99. Scientific detective work has unearthed evidence that the material is not a superconductor."
      Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-02585-7
      Source name: Nature
      Publication date: 2023-08-16
    2. Verbatim excerpt: "By mid-August 2023, the consensus was that LK-99 is not a superconductor at room temperature, and is an insulator in pure form... A prominent cause was a copper sulfide impurity occurring during the proposed synthesis, which can produce resistance drops, lambda transition in heat capacity, and magnetic response in small samples."
      Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LK-99
      Source name: Wikipedia
      Publication date: unknown (page is continuously updated)
    3. Verbatim excerpt: "Independent groups find no evidence for room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconductivity in a modified form of lead apatite."
      Link: https://physicsworld.com/a/room-temperature-superconductor-lk-99-fails-replication-tests/
      Source name: Physics World
      Publication date: 2023-08-15
  • Consistency of source conclusions: consistent
  • Requires further verification: yes

Supplementary Verification List

Item 1: [LK99] could not be replicated by other labs

  • Reason:
    1. While the general consensus of replication failure is well-supported by secondary sources (news outlets, Wikipedia), the verification lacks direct evidence from the primary scientific literature detailing the replication studies themselves. Citing the specific findings from these studies would provide a more robust and detailed confirmation.
  • Key facts to ascertain:
    1. What were the specific findings of key replication studies from major international labs (e.g., Max Planck Institute, Peking University, etc.)?
    2. What was the definitive scientific explanation for the sharp drop in electrical resistance and the partial magnetic levitation observed in the original LK-99 experiments? Specifically, how was the impurity copper sulfide (Cu₂S) identified as the cause?
  • Required sources:
    1. Accessible peer-reviewed papers or widely-cited preprints from research groups that attempted to replicate LK-99.
    2. Authoritative review articles from scientific journals that synthesize the results of the various replication efforts and explain the final consensus.
  • Priority: High

Action Plan

  1. Conduct a targeted search for scientific papers (on platforms like arXiv.org and in journals like Physical Review Letters, Nature, and Science) from prominent research institutions that published their LK-99 replication results.
  2. Specifically search for studies that analyze the role of copper sulfide (Cu₂S) impurities in causing the superconductivity-like phenomena reported in the original LK-99 preprints.
  3. Analyze the findings of these papers to extract the specific data and conclusions that disprove the superconductivity claim, such as measurements showing the material is an insulator and that the phase transition of Cu₂S impurities explains the drop in resistivity.
  4. Synthesize the evidence from these primary sources to build a definitive, evidence-based conclusion on why LK-99 could not be replicated and is not considered a superconductor.

Let me look at one of the replication studies to get more specific details:

web parsing

Let me search for more specific information about the copper sulfide impurities that were mentioned as a potential explanation for the original LK99 observations:

search

Search

LK99 copper sulfide impurity explanation for false superconductivity

Let me try a more general search about LK99 replication studies:

search

Search

LK99 replication studies findings copper sulfide impurity

Let me try a different search query to find more information about the replication studies:

search

Search

LK99 failed replication studies scientific papers
physicsworld.com
Independent groups find no evidence for room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconductivity in a modified form of lead apatite.
nature.com
nature.com
Researchers seem to have solved the puzzle of LK-99. Scientific detective work has unearthed evidence that the material is not a superconductor.
chemistryworld.com
Professionals and amateurs are racing to recreate LK-99 a claimed superconductor that has yet to be verified.
reddit.com
LK-99: Compilation of all Claims/Reports of Replication Efforts Underway ... New research reignites the possibility of LK-99 superconductivity at ...
researchgate.net
researchgate.net
Independent groups find no evidence for room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconductivity in a modified form of lead apatite dubbed LK-99, as ...
science20.com
science20.com
Our results on the present LK-99 sample, being synthesized at 925∘C, as of now do not approve the appearance of bulk superconductivity at room ...
kedglobal.com
kedglobal.com
South Korean academics have concluded the material, dubbed “LK-99,” lacks scientific proof to be recognized as a room-temperature and ...
sciencedirect.com
sciencedirect.com
Yet, Awana and coworkers had failed to observe superconductivity in their replicated samples of LK-99. This dissonance prompted me to find ...
https://static-favicon.basemind.com/01JV1PGSEJZS4R5BZAQ71SYTGM
https://static-favicon.basemind.com/01JV2SW6R4W6YP3KDX75KKPJD0
https://static-favicon.basemind.com/01JVBSG25GQBYVSD144JHVHH7S
View all 16 sources

Verified Conclusions List

Item 1: LK99, the supposed room temperature super conductor

  • Preliminary conclusion: This statement is accurate. In July 2023, a team of researchers from South Korea published preprint papers claiming to have synthesized a material named LK-99, which they described as the world's first room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconductor.
  • Source support highlights:
    1. The original preprint paper explicitly claims to have synthesized a room-temperature superconductor working at ambient pressure with a critical temperature (Tc) of at least 400 K (127°C).
    2. Wikipedia and multiple science news outlets confirm that a team from Korea University led by Lee Sukbae and Kim Ji-Hoon published these claims in July 2023.
  • Evidence:
    1. Verbatim excerpt: "For the first time in the world, we succeeded in synthesizing the room-temperature superconductor ( K, 127C) working at ambient pressure with a modified lead-apatite (LK-99) structure."
      Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.12008
      Source name: arXiv.org
      Publication date: 2023-07-22
    2. Verbatim excerpt: "A team from Korea University led by Lee Sukbae (이석배) and Kim Ji-Hoon (김지훈) began studying this material as a potential superconductor starting in 1999. In July 2023, they published preprints claiming that it acts as a room-temperature superconductor at temperatures of up to 400 K (127 °C; 260 °F) at ambient pressure."
      Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LK-99
      Source name: Wikipedia
      Publication date: unknown (page is continuously updated)
  • Consistency of source conclusions: consistent
  • Requires further verification: no

Item 2: [LK99] could not be replicated by other labs

  • Preliminary conclusion: This statement is accurate. Numerous independent research groups attempted to replicate the synthesis and findings. A broad scientific consensus emerged that LK-99 is not a superconductor. Studies of purified single crystals of the material found it to be a highly insulating, and the phenomena observed by the original team were attributable to other factors, such as impurities.
  • Source support highlights:
    1. An article in the journal Nature from August 2023 states that scientific investigation has concluded LK-99 is not a superconductor.
    2. A study by researchers from the Max Planck Institute for Solid State Research synthesized pure single crystals of LK-99 and found them to be highly insulating, ruling out superconductivity in the material itself.
    3. News outlets like Physics World reported that independent groups found no evidence for room-temperature superconductivity.
  • Evidence:
    1. Verbatim excerpt: "Researchers seem to have solved the puzzle of LK-99. Scientific detective work has unearthed evidence that the material is not a superconductor."
      Link: https://www.nature.com/articles/d41586-023-02585-7
      Source name: Nature
      Publication date: 2023-08-16
    2. Verbatim excerpt: "We have synthesized phase-pure single crystals of the lead apatite PbCu(PO)O... We find that these crystals are highly insulating and optically transparent... We therefore rule out the presence of superconductivity in PbCu(PO)O crystals."
      Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.06256
      Source name: arXiv.org (P. Puphal, et al.)
      Publication date: 2023-08-14 (v1), 2023-08-23 (v2)
    3. Verbatim excerpt: "Independent researchers have found no evidence of room-temperature superconductivity in a modified form of lead apatite, dashing hopes of a technological breakthrough... Subsequent attempts at replicating their results have come up short, however, and some experts believe the tantalizing finding may have been due to impurities in the supposedly superconducting sample."
      Link: https://physicsworld.com/a/room-temperature-superconductor-lk-99-fails-replication-tests/
      Source name: Physics World
      Publication date: 2023-08-15
  • Consistency of source conclusions: consistent
  • Requires further verification: yes

Supplementary Verification List

Item 1: [LK99] could not be replicated by other labs

  • Reason:
    1. While replication failures are well-documented and the pure material has been shown to be an insulator, the specific scientific explanation for the original observations (e.g., the sharp drop in resistivity) needs to be confirmed with primary sources. Secondary sources suggest copper sulfide (Cu₂S) impurities are the cause, but this requires direct evidence from the scientific literature that identified and analyzed this impurity.
  • Key facts to ascertain:
    1. Which specific scientific studies identified copper sulfide (Cu₂S) as a key impurity in the LK-99 synthesis process?
    2. What is the definitive evidence showing that a phase transition in Cu₂S at approximately 400 K (127°C) is responsible for the sharp drop in electrical resistance that was mistaken for a superconducting transition?
    3. What is the consensus explanation for the partial levitation observed in some samples (e.g., ferromagnetism vs. the claimed Meissner effect)?
  • Required sources:
    1. Peer-reviewed papers or widely-cited preprints from research groups that specifically analyzed the role of impurities, particularly Cu₂S, in LK-99 samples.
    2. Authoritative review articles from journals like Nature, Science, or Physical Review that synthesize the results of the various replication efforts and explain the final consensus.
  • Priority: High

Action Plan

  1. Conduct a targeted search for scientific papers investigating the role of copper sulfide (Cu₂S) impurities in causing the superconductivity-like phenomena reported in the original LK-99 preprints, using search terms like "LK-99 copper sulfide resistivity" and "LK-99 ferromagnetism".
  2. Search for summary or review articles in high-impact scientific journals that explain the scientific community's overall assessment and final consensus on the LK-99 claims, focusing on the explanation of experimental artifacts.
  3. Synthesize the evidence from these primary and authoritative sources to build a definitive, evidence-based conclusion on why LK-99 could not be replicated and is not considered a superconductor, detailing the specific role of impurities.

Let me try to find more specific information about the copper sulfide impurity explanation:

search

Search

LK99 copper sulfide impurity resistivity drop

I'll try a different search query to find information about the copper sulfide impurity in LK99:

search

Search

LK99 Cu2S impurity phase transition
sciencedirect.com
sciencedirect.com
We notice that the reported LK-99 sample contained a certain amount of Cu2S impurity,,,, which undergoes a structural phase transition from the ...
english.iop.cas.cn
english.iop.cas.cn
The LK-99 matches the indexed database, which contains the impurity phase of Cu2S. From the Rietveld refinement of Figure 1, we obtain the ...
cell.com
cell.com
5–7 originates the first-order structural transition of the impurity phase of Cu2S from a hexagonal structure at high temperature to a ...
phys.org
They found that the resistivity of Cu2S decreased by three to four orders of magnitude around 385 K, close to the transition temperature.
nextbigfuture.com
The Lk99 patent called out copper sulfide an impurity. The original researchers seem to have been aware of this. The assertion by other ...
eurekalert.org
eurekalert.org
... LK-99 generated by Lee et al. contained a certain amount of Cu2S impurity, which undergoes a structural phase transition from a hexagonal ...
en.wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org
A prominent cause was a copper sulfide impurity occurring during the proposed synthesis, which can produce resistance drops, lambda transition in heat capacity, ...
pubs.acs.org
pubs.acs.org
The characteristics of Cu-doped lead apatite (LK-99) synthesized with the removal of Cu2S using ammonia solution: A diamagnetic semiconductor.
https://static-favicon.basemind.com/01JV1RK08DWHWAMJBCS6QWAQ72
https://static-favicon.basemind.com/01JV28GFZSVS4APS368GT11K70
https://static-favicon.basemind.com/01JV1PGSEJZS4R5BZAQ71SYTGM
View all 16 sources

Let me check the ScienceDirect article about the Cu2S impurity in LK99:

web parsing

Let me check the arXiv paper that investigated the Cu2S impurity in LK99:

web parsing

Verified Conclusions List

Item 1: LK99, the supposed room temperature super conductor

  • Preliminary conclusion: This statement is accurate. In July 2023, a team of researchers from South Korea published preprint papers claiming to have synthesized a material named LK-99, which they described as the world's first room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconductor.
  • Source support highlights:
    1. The original preprint paper explicitly claims to have synthesized a room-temperature superconductor working at ambient pressure with a critical temperature (Tc) of at least 400 K (127°C).
    2. Wikipedia and multiple science news outlets confirm that a team from Korea University led by Lee Sukbae and Kim Ji-Hoon published these claims in July 2023.
  • Evidence:
    1. Verbatim excerpt: "For the first time in the world, we succeeded in synthesizing the room-temperature superconductor ( K, 127C) working at ambient pressure with a modified lead-apatite (LK-99) structure."
      Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.12008
      Source name: arXiv.org
      Publication date: 2023-07-22
    2. Verbatim excerpt: "A team from Korea University led by Lee Sukbae (이석배) and Kim Ji-Hoon (김지훈) began studying this material as a potential superconductor starting in 1999. In July 2023, they published preprints claiming that it acts as a room-temperature superconductor at temperatures of up to 400 K (127 °C; 260 °F) at ambient pressure."
      Link: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/LK-99
      Source name: Wikipedia
      Publication date: unknown (page is continuously updated)
  • Consistency of source conclusions: consistent
  • Requires further verification: no

Item 2: [LK99] could not be replicated by other labs

  • Preliminary conclusion: This statement is accurate. Numerous independent research groups failed to replicate superconductivity in LK-99. The scientific consensus is that the original observations were not due to superconductivity but were artifacts caused by impurities, primarily copper sulfide (Cu₂S), present in the samples.
  • Source support highlights:
    1. A study published in the journal Matter demonstrated that the sharp drop in resistivity observed in LK-99 samples was caused by a first-order structural phase transition in Cu₂S impurities around 385-400 K, not superconductivity.
    2. A corresponding preprint on arXiv confirms these findings, noting that while a "superconducting-like transition" was observed, zero-resistivity was not achieved, and the behavior is attributable to the Cu₂S phase change.
    3. A separate study from the Max Planck Institute synthesized pure single crystals of the LK-99 material and found them to be highly insulating, ruling out superconductivity in the compound itself.
  • Evidence:
    1. Verbatim excerpt: "The superconducting-like behavior in LK-99 is due to Cu2S... The sharp resistivity drop in LK-99 is a consequence of the first-order structural phase transition of Cu2S at ∼400K... Relatively pure LK-99 behaves as a semiconductor rather than a superconductor."
      Link: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2590238523005647
      Source name: ScienceDirect (Matter)
      Publication date: 2023-12-06
    2. Verbatim excerpt: "We conclude that the sharp superconducting-like transition of resistivity in LK-99 containing Cu2S is not a real superconducting transition, but a reduction of resistivity caused by the first-order structural phase transition of Cu2S from β phase to γ phase at ∼385 K."
      Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.04353
      Source name: arXiv.org
      Publication date: 2023-08-08
    3. Verbatim excerpt: "We have synthesized phase-pure single crystals of the lead apatite PbCu(PO)O... We find that these crystals are highly insulating and optically transparent... We therefore rule out the presence of superconductivity in PbCu(PO)O crystals."
      Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.06256
      Source name: arXiv.org (P. Puphal, et al.)
      Publication date: 2023-08-14 (v1)
  • Consistency of source conclusions: consistent
  • Requires further verification: yes

Supplementary Verification List

Item 1: [LK99] could not be replicated by other labs

  • Reason:
    1. While the sharp drop in electrical resistance has been definitively explained by the Cu₂S impurity, the other key phenomenon from the original claim—the partial magnetic levitation (claimed as the Meissner effect)—needs a similarly conclusive explanation. Furthermore, obtaining the final verdict from the official South Korean verification committee would provide the highest level of authority on the consensus.
  • Key facts to ascertain:
    1. What is the consensus scientific explanation for the partial levitation observed in some LK-99 samples? Was it due to ferromagnetism or some other magnetic effect unrelated to superconductivity?
    2. What was the final, official conclusion published by the verification committee established by the Korean Society of Superconductivity and Cryogenics (KSSC) regarding the LK-99 claims?
  • Required sources:
    1. Peer-reviewed scientific papers or authoritative review articles that specifically analyze the magnetic properties of LK-99 samples.
    2. The official report, white paper, or public statement from the KSSC's LK-99 verification committee.
  • Priority: High

Action Plan

  1. Conduct a targeted search for the final report or official statement from the "Korean Society of Superconductivity and Cryogenics LK-99 verification committee".
  2. Search for scientific literature and authoritative reviews that explain the magnetic properties of LK-99 samples, specifically addressing the cause of the observed partial levitation, using terms such as "LK-99 ferromagnetism" and "LK-99 magnetic properties".
  3. Synthesize the findings to provide a definitive explanation for both the electrical and magnetic anomalies originally reported and to confirm the official scientific consensus.

Let me search for information about the Korean verification committee's findings:

search

Search

Korean Society of Superconductivity and Cryogenics LK-99 verification committee final report
en.wikipedia.org
en.wikipedia.org
On 2 August 2023, The Korean Society of Superconductivity and Cryogenics established a verification committee as a response to the controversy and ...
kedglobal.com
kedglobal.com
South Korean academics have concluded the material, dubbed “LK-99,” lacks scientific proof to be recognized as a room-temperature and ambient- ...
nature.com
nature.com
In July 2023, a South Korean research team claimed that LK-99 was a superconductor that worked at room temperature and ambient pressure—a ...
koreaherald.com
koreaherald.com
“There is no ground for saying that LK-99 is a superconductor,” the committee said in a report, stressing that it showed no signs of ...
researchgate.net
researchgate.net
Meanwhile, as the LK-99 case gained international scientific attention, The Korean Society of Superconductivity and Cryogenics launched a verification committee ...
kedglobal.com
kedglobal.com
The Korean Society of Superconductivity and Cryogenics' committee asks Quantum Energy Research Center to submit LK-99 samples. By Jin-Won Kim.
reddit.com
According to Yonhap News, the LK-99 Verification Committee of the Korean Superconducting Low Temperature Society responded to relevant questions ...
energyconnects.com
South Korean stocks linked to superconductors plunged Tuesday after a US-based research center rebutted claims of a sensational breakthrough ...
https://static-favicon.basemind.com/01JV5VKRH235ZT4EEPE3HRSJDT
https://static-favicon.basemind.com/01JVCF6HT8S71XAR7EBYMT8K2H
https://static-favicon.basemind.com/01JV21BPJQ26H1THT12F71RXFY
View all 16 sources

Let me search for more information about the magnetic properties of LK99 and the explanation for the partial levitation:

search

Search

LK99 magnetic levitation ferromagnetism explanation
arxiv.org
arxiv.org
Abstract:We successfully synthesized polycrystalline LK-99-like ceramic samples with a solid-state-sintering method.
link.springer.com
link.springer.com
We have prepared LK-99 like samples and confirmed the half-levitation behaviors in some small specimens under the influence of a magnet at room temperature.
dds.sciengine.com
dds.sciengine.com
We therefore conclude that the half levitation is caused by a magnetic torque, rather than by a net lifting force exerted on the sample. The ...
theistanbulchronicle.com
A video made by VanGennep shows his disk made of non-superconducting, ferromagnetic materials imitating the behavior of LK-99. The Peking ...
reddit.com
And you can infer that the entire explanation is that they get ferromagnetism unevenly distributed in the reaction tubes, and every now and ...
sciencedirect.com
sciencedirect.com
On the other hand, certain experiments suggested that LK-99 might exhibit magnetic levitation with a transition temperature exceeding 400 K [24,25]. This result ...
researchgate.net
researchgate.net
The electrical transport measurements on the as-grown LK-99-like samples including both half-levitated and non-levitated samples show an insulating behavior ...
icvtank.com
On August 7, a team of researchers at Peking University reported that the "semi-levitation" of their LK-99 sample was due to ferromagnetism.
https://static-favicon.basemind.com/01JV28GFZSVS4APS368GT11K70
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Let me check one of the papers about the ferromagnetic explanation for the LK99 levitation:

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Let me check the Korean Herald article about the Korean verification committee's findings:

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Verified Conclusions List

Item 1: LK99, the supposed room temperature super conductor

  • Preliminary conclusion: This statement is accurate. In July 2023, a team of researchers from South Korea published preprint papers claiming to have synthesized a material named LK-99, which they described as the world's first room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconductor.
  • Source support highlights:
    1. The original preprint paper submitted to arXiv by Sukbae Lee, Ji-Hoon Kim, and Young-Wan Kwon explicitly makes the claim of having synthesized a room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconductor.
  • Evidence:
    1. Verbatim excerpt: "For the first time in the world, we succeeded in synthesizing the room-temperature superconductor ( K, 127C) working at ambient pressure with a modified lead-apatite (LK-99) structure."
      Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.12008
      Source name: arXiv.org
      Publication date: 2023-07-22
  • Consistency of source conclusions: consistent
  • Requires further verification: no

Item 2: [LK99] could not be replicated by other labs

  • Preliminary conclusion: This statement is accurate. An international scientific consensus, including an official South Korean verification committee, has concluded that LK-99 is not a superconductor. The phenomena originally observed have been explained by non-superconducting properties, primarily impurities in the samples.
  • Source support highlights:
    1. The official verification committee of the Korean Society of Superconductivity and Cryogenics (KSSC) concluded that LK-99 shows no evidence of superconductivity and that pure samples are non-conductors (insulators).
    2. Multiple independent scientific studies found that the sharp drop in electrical resistance was caused by a structural phase transition in copper sulfide (Cu₂S), an impurity present in the synthesis process, not by superconductivity.
    3. Replication attempts that observed partial levitation attributed the phenomenon to soft ferromagnetism within the samples, not the Meissner effect characteristic of superconductors.
  • Evidence:
    1. Verbatim excerpt: "The Korean Society of Superconductivity and Cryogenics' review committee has concluded that LK-99, a material claimed to be a room-temperature superconductor by a South Korean research team, shows no evidence of superconductivity... Tests on purified single crystal samples revealed that LK-99 is actually a 'nonconductor' that doesn't allow electricity to pass through."
      Link: https://www.koreaherald.com/article/3281313
      Source name: The Korea Herald
      Publication date: 2023-12-13
    2. Verbatim excerpt: "We conclude that the sharp superconducting-like transition of resistivity in LK-99 containing Cu2S is not a real superconducting transition, but a reduction of resistivity caused by the first-order structural phase transition of Cu2S from β phase to γ phase at ∼385 K."
      Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.04353
      Source name: arXiv.org (Published in Matter)
      Publication date: 2023-08-08
    3. Verbatim excerpt: "Through magnetization measurements on both these small levitating pieces and larger non-levitating pieces, they discovered that all samples contained weak but definitive soft ferromagnetic components... The authors argue that this soft ferromagnetism, combined with the pronounced shape anisotropy of the small fragments, sufficiently explains the observed half levitation... their measurements did not indicate any presence of the Meissner effect or zero resistance"
      Link: https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.03110
      Source name: arXiv.org (Published in SCIENCE CHINA Physics, Mechanics & Astronomy)
      Publication date: 2023-08-06
  • Consistency of source conclusions: consistent
  • Requires further verification: yes

Supplementary Verification List

Item 1: [LK99] could not be replicated by other labs

  • Reason:
    1. The official conclusion from the Korean Society of Superconductivity and Cryogenics (KSSC) verification committee has been cited via an authoritative secondary news source (The Korea Herald). To achieve the highest level of verification, obtaining and citing the primary source document (the official white paper or report) would provide the most direct evidence.
  • Key facts to ascertain:
    1. The full, verbatim text of the KSSC's final conclusion on LK-99.
    2. The specific data, analysis, and methodology detailed in the committee's official report that led to their conclusion.
  • Required sources:
    1. The official website of the Korean Society of Superconductivity and Cryogenics (KSSC).
    2. Academic or governmental archives in South Korea where such official scientific reports might be published.
  • Priority: Medium

Action Plan

  1. Conduct a search for the official LK-99 verification committee white paper or final report, using English and Korean search terms, on the website of the Korean Society of Superconductivity and Cryogenics (KSSC) and general academic repositories.
  2. If the primary report is located, analyze its contents to extract the official verbatim conclusion and the key evidence cited, comparing it with the information reported in secondary sources.
  3. If the primary report is not publicly accessible, note this limitation and conclude the verification based on the strong consensus from existing primary research papers and authoritative secondary sources.

Based on the comprehensive evidence I've gathered, I can now provide a final answer:

Verification | Claims about LK99 Room Temperature Superconductor [statement accurate, supported by scientific consensus]

Verification Summary

I have verified 2 items in the user-submitted report. All 2 items were found to be reliable based on scientific evidence. The report accurately describes LK99 as a "supposed room temperature super conductor" and correctly states that it "could not be replicated by other labs." The verification confirms that the original claims about LK99 being a room-temperature superconductor were thoroughly investigated by multiple independent research groups worldwide, and a scientific consensus emerged that the material is not a superconductor. The phenomena originally observed by the Korean research team have been conclusively explained by other physical mechanisms, primarily impurities in the samples.

Suggestions for the user: When discussing scientific controversies like LK99, it would be helpful to include the specific timeframe (July-August 2023) and mention that official scientific bodies (like the Korean Society of Superconductivity and Cryogenics) have formally concluded that LK99 is not a superconductor. Additionally, noting the scientific explanation for the originally observed phenomena (copper sulfide impurities causing resistivity drops) would provide a more complete picture of this case study in scientific verification.

Verification Details

Original StatementReliability AssessmentEvidence
"LK99, the supposed room temperature super conductor"Reliable. This statement accurately describes LK99 as a "supposed" room temperature superconductor, correctly indicating the claim was made but not proven. In July 2023, a team of South Korean researchers did indeed publish preprints claiming to have synthesized LK99 as the world's first room-temperature, ambient-pressure superconductor."For the first time in the world, we succeeded in synthesizing the room-temperature superconductor ( K, 127C) working at ambient pressure with a modified lead-apatite (LK-99) structure." https://arxiv.org/abs/2307.12008 (2023-07-22)
"[LK99] could not be replicated by other labs"Reliable. This statement is accurate and supported by extensive scientific evidence. Multiple independent research groups worldwide attempted to replicate the LK99 findings and failed to observe superconductivity. The Korean Society of Superconductivity and Cryogenics' official verification committee concluded that LK99 shows no evidence of superconductivity. Scientific studies identified that the phenomena originally observed (resistivity drop and partial levitation) were caused by copper sulfide impurities and soft ferromagnetism, not superconductivity. Pure samples of LK99 were found to be insulators."The Korean Society of Superconductivity and Cryogenics' review committee has concluded that LK-99, a material claimed to be a room-temperature superconductor by a South Korean research team, shows no evidence of superconductivity... Tests on purified single crystal samples revealed that LK-99 is actually a 'nonconductor' that doesn't allow electricity to pass through." https://www.koreaherald.com/article/3281313 (2023-12-13)

"We conclude that the sharp superconducting-like transition of resistivity in LK-99 containing Cu2S is not a real superconducting transition, but a reduction of resistivity caused by the first-order structural phase transition of Cu2S from β phase to γ phase at ∼385 K." https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.04353 (2023-08-08)

"We have synthesized phase-pure single crystals of the lead apatite PbCu(PO)O... We find that these crystals are highly insulating and optically transparent... We therefore rule out the presence of superconductivity in PbCu(PO)O crystals." https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.06256 (2023-08-14)

"Through magnetization measurements on both these small levitating pieces and larger non-levitating pieces, they discovered that all samples contained weak but definitive soft ferromagnetic components... The authors argue that this soft ferromagnetism, combined with the pronounced shape anisotropy of the small fragments, sufficiently explains the observed half levitation... their measurements did not indicate any presence of the Meissner effect or zero resistance" https://arxiv.org/abs/2308.03110 (2023-08-06)