Earth’s magnetic field shields our planet from cosmic radiation and charged particles from our Sun.
China has set a new world record for the strongest steady magnetic field.
On August 12, the hybrid magnet of the Steady High Magnetic Field Facility (SHMFF) in Hefei, China, generated the world’s highest steady magnetic field by a working magnet measuring 45.22 teslas (T). In comparison, Earth’s magnetic field at 0° latitude and 0° longitude only has a strength of 0.000032 teslas.
It surpassed the 45-tesla prior world record set by a hybrid magnet in 1999 at the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory of the United States.
The new world record of 45.22-tesla steady-state high magnetic field. Credit: SHMFF team
This 45.22-tesla hybrid magnet consists of a resistive insert nested within a superconducting outsert with a bore of 32mm.
Despite facing many obstacles, the team successfully constructed the hybrid magnet in 2016, which produced a central magnetic field of 40 teslas at the time, making it the second 40-tesla level magnet worldwide.
Evidently, 40 teslas was not the end. The team has since continued its pursuit of stronger magnetic fields.
The team had a group photo to celebrate the new record. Credit: SHMFF team
“To achieve a higher magnetic field, we innovated the structure of the magnet, and developed new materials,” said Professor KUANG Guangli, the academic director of the High Magnetic Field Laboratory of Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CHMFL) where SHMFF is based. “The manufacturing process of the bitter discs was also optimized,” added KUANG in a statement made on an on-site verification by seven academicians.
The success of the 45.22-tesla magnet represents an important milestone in the development of magnetic technology in China and the world as well.
This magnet is one of the ten magnets developed and operated by CHMFL.
The hybrid magnet at the Steady High Magnetic Field Facility (SHMFF) in Hefei, China. Credit: SHMFF team
The Hefei lab has already broken three world records with its resistive magnets.
SHMFF, a user facility, which currently provides scientists worldwide with the strongest steady-state magnetic field, has operated for more than 500,000 machine hours since its operation, providing over 170 institutes or universities at home and abroad with experimental conditions for cutting-edge research of multi-disciplines.
Source: SciTechDaily
