Authors: Research Scholar Md Javed, Research Scholar A. Cathirin Preethi
Abstract: Superconducting nanomaterials have tremendous potential for use in energy applications such as zero-loss power transmission, high-energy storage, and cooling of quantum computing hardware. This paper describes the experimental investigation of superconducting phase transition in thin films of niobium and nanostructured nickel chalcogenide compounds for energy applications. Superconducting transition critical temperature (Tc), thermal rectification properties, and electrochemical properties of materials are studied. The Nb-based material is shown to exhibit 20 times reduced radiative heat loss at Tc= 7.4 K, resulting in creation of the first ever cryogenic thermal diode with 70% rectification efficiency. At the same time, the nanostructured S-CdNiS electrode has exhibited a specific capacitance of 2465 F/g with energy density of 101 Wh/kg at a current density of 1 A/g and capacity retention of 91% after 5000 cycles.
