The 42 Tesla resistive magnet. Image by HFIPS.
A resistive magnet in China has produced a steady magnetic field of 42 tesla, setting a new world record for magnets of its kind.
It is another major breakthrough by High Magnetic Field Laboratory of Hefei Institutes of Physical Science, Chinese Academy of Sciences (CHMFL), following its success in the world’s most powerful 45.22 tesla hybrid magnet in 2022.
The new magnet marks a new milestone in the development of resistive magnet technology.
After nearly four years of unremitting efforts, scientists and engineers innovated the structure of the magnet, optimised its manufacturing process, and finally produced a steady magnetic field of 42 tesla at a power supply of 32.3 MW, breaking the record of 41.4 tesla set by the US National High Magnetic Laboratory in 2017.
The new magnet not only better meets the practical needs of magnet users, by providing powerful experimental conditions to explore new phenomena and reveal new laws, but also lays a key technical foundation for the construction of more powerful magnets in China.
Types
There are three types of steady high magnets, resistive magnets, superconducting magnets, and the combination of the two, namely, hybrid magnets.
Resistive magnets are the earliest high-field magnets used by scientists, with flexible and fast magnetic field control. To this day, they can still generate magnetic fields far higher than superconducting magnets.
Making a comparison between magnet development and table tennis, Kuang Guangli, academic director of CHMFL, said: “Resistive magnets and superconducting magnets are both ‘singles masters’, while hybrid magnets are ‘mixed-doubles combinations.
“In 2022, we won the mixed doubles championship with comprehensive advantages. Today, we won a singles.”
High magnetic field is an extreme experimental condition required for material science research and a powerful tool for major scientific discoveries.
For decades, scientists around the world have achieved significant discoveries under high magnetic field, with more than ten such scientific achievements winning Nobel prizes.
Development of magnet technology has become an important research field.
Currently, there are five steady high magnetic field laboratories in the world, located in China, France, Japan, the Netherlands, and the United States.
