Chinese researchers have made a significant breakthrough by successfully creating a novel nickel-based superconductor, marking a new milestone in the superconducting transition temperature for this class of materials. The research results were published online in the prestigious journal Nature in the early hours of December 3rd. This newly discovered superconducting material falls under the nickelate category and represents the third type of unconventional high-temperature superconductor identified to date. The synthesis and subsequent performance evaluation of this material posed immense challenges, which were overcome through a collaborative endeavor between the team led by Qiaoshi Zeng at the Center for High Pressure Science and Technology Advanced Research in Beijing and the team headed by Junjie Zhang from Shandong University.

Remarkably, this nickel-based superconductor has, for the first time, achieved superconductivity at temperatures approaching the "hundred-Kelvin" mark, providing a robust platform for the pursuit of superconductors capable of operating at even higher temperatures. As advancements in high-temperature superconductivity continue to unfold, the once-fanciful notion of room-temperature superconductivity may soon evolve from a scientific fantasy into a tangible reality.