Many different researchers have attempted to replicate the work, and were able to reach initial results within weeks, as the process of producing the material is relatively straightforward.[6] By mid-August 2023, the consensus[1] was that LK-99 is not a superconductor at room temperature, and is an insulator in pure form.[7][8][9]
As of 12 February 2024, no replications had gone through the peer review process of a journal, but some had been reviewed by a materials science lab. A number of replication attempts identified non-superconducting ferromagnetic and diamagnetic causes for observations that suggested superconductivity. A prominent cause was a copper sulfide impurity[10] occurring during the proposed synthesis, which can produce resistance drops, lambda transition in heat capacity, and magnetic response in small samples.[11][12][10][13][14][15][16]
After the initial preprints were published, Lee claimed they were incomplete,[17] and coauthor Kim Hyun-Tak (김현탁) said one of the papers contained flaws.[18]
Chemical properties and structure
The chemical composition of LK-99 is approximately Pb9Cu(PO4)6O, in which— compared to pure lead-apatite (Pb10(PO4)6O)[19]: 5 — approximately one quarter of Pb(II) ions in position 2 of the apatite structure are replaced by Cu(II) ions.[4]: 9
The structure is similar to that of apatite, space groupP63/m (No. 176).
Synthesis
Lee et al. provide a method for chemical synthesis of LK-99[19]: 2 in three steps. First they produce lanarkite from a 1:1 molar mixing of lead(II) oxide (PbO) and lead(II) sulfate (Pb(SO4)) powders, and heating at 725 °C (1,000 K; 1,340 °F) for 24 hours:
PbO + Pb(SO4) → Pb2(SO4)O.
Then, copper(I) phosphide (Cu3P) is produced by mixing copper (Cu) and phosphorus (P) powders in a 3:1 molar ratio in a sealed tube under a vacuum and heated to 550 °C (820 K; 1,000 °F) for 48 hours:[19]: 3
3 Cu + P → Cu3P.
Then, lanarkite and copper phosphide crystals are ground into a powder, placed in a sealed tube under a vacuum, and heated to 925 °C (1,200 K; 1,700 °F) for between 5‒20 hours:[19]: 3
Pb2(SO4)O + Cu3P → Pb10-xCux(PO4)6O + S (g), where 0.9 < x < 1.1.
There were a number of problems with the above synthesis from the initial paper. The reaction is not balanced, and others reported the presence of copper(I) sulfide (Cu2S) as well.[20][12] For a balanced reaction might be:
Many syntheses produced fragmentary results in different phases, where some of the resulting fragments were responsive to magnetic fields, other fragments were not.[22] The first synthesis to produce pure crystals found them to be diamagnetic insulators.[23]
Physical properties
Some small LK-99 samples were reported to show strong diamagnetic properties, including a response confusingly[24] referred to as "partial levitation" over a magnet.[19] This was misinterpreted by some as a sign of superconductivity, although it is a sign of regular diamagnetism or ferromagnetism.
While initial preprints claimed the material was a room-temperature superconductor,[19]: 1 they did not report observing any definitive features of superconductivity, such as zero resistance, the Meissner effect, flux pinning, AC magnetic susceptibility, the Josephson effect, a temperature-dependent critical field and current, or a sudden jump in specific heat around the critical temperature.[25]
As it is common for a new material to spuriously seem like a potential candidate for high-temperature superconductivity,[14] thorough experimental reports normally demonstrate a number of these expected properties. As of 15 October 2023,[update] not one of these properties had been observed by the original experiment or any replications.[26]
Proposed mechanism for superconductivity
Partial replacement of Pb2+ ions with smaller Cu2+ ions is said to cause a 0.48% reduction in volume, creating internal stress in the material,[4]: 8 causing a heterojunctionquantum well between the Pb(1) and oxygen within the phosphate ([PO4]3−). This quantum well was proposed to be superconducting[4]: 10 , based on a 2021 paper[27] by Kim Hyun-Tak describing a novel and complicated theory combining ideas from a classical theory of metal-insulator transitions,[28] the standard Bardeen–Cooper–Schrieffer theory, and the theory of hole superconductivity[29] by J.E.Hirsch.
Response
On 31 July 2023, Sinéad Griffin of Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory analyzed LK-99 with density functional theory (DFT), showing that its structure would have correlated isolated flat bands, and suggesting this might contribute to superconductivity.[30] However, while other researchers agreed with the DFT analysis, a number suggested that this was not compatible with superconductivity, and that a structure different from what was described in Lee, et al. would be necessary.[31]
Analyses by industrial and experimental physicists noted experimental and theoretical shortcomings of the published works.[32] Shortcomings included the lack of phase diagrams[29] spanning temperature, stoichiometry,[33] and stress; the lack of pathways for the very high Tc of LK-99 compared to prior heavy fermion superconductors; the absence of flux pinning in any observations; the possibility of stochastic conductive artifacts[34] in conductivity measurements; the high resistance and low current capacity of the alleged superconducting state; and the lack of direct transmission electron microscopy (TEM) of the materials.
Compound name
The name LK-99 comes from the initials of discoverers Lee and Kim, and the year of discovery (1999).[2] The pair had worked with Tong-Seek Chair (최동식) at Korea University in the 1990s.[35]
In 2008, they founded the Quantum Energy Research Centre (퀀텀 에너지연구소; also known as Q-Centre) with other researchers from Korea University.[17] Lee would later become CEO of Q-Centre, and Kim would become director of research and development.
Publication history
Lee has stated that in 2020, an initial paper was submitted to Nature, but was rejected.[35] Similarly presented research on room-temperature superconductors (but a completely different chemical system) by Ranga P. Dias had been published in Nature earlier that year, and received with skepticism—Dias's paper would subsequently be retracted in 2022 after its data was questioned as having been falsified.[36]
In 2020, Lee and Kim Ji-Hoon filed a patent application.[37] A second patent application (additionally listing Young-Wan Kwon), was filed in 2021, which was published on 3 March 2023.[38] A World Intellectual Property Organization (WIPO) patent was also published on 2 March 2023.[39] On 4 April 2023, a Korean trademark application for "LK-99" was filed by the Q-Centre.[40]
Scholarly articles and preprints
A series of academic publications summarizing initial findings came out in 2023, with a total of seven authors across four publications.
On 31 March 2023, a Korean-language paper, "Consideration for the development of room-temperature ambient-pressure superconductor (LK-99)", was submitted to the Korean Journal of Crystal Growth and Crystal Technology.[5] It was accepted on 18 April, but was not widely read until three months later.
On 22 July 2023, two preprints appeared on arXiv. The first was submitted by Young-Wan Kwon, and listed Kwon, former Q-Centre CTO, as third author.[4] The second preprint was submitted only 2 hours later by Kim Hyun-Tak, former principal researcher at the Electronics & Telecommunications Research Institute and professor at the College of William & Mary, listing himself as third author, as well as three new authors.[19][41]
On 23 July, the findings were also submitted by Lee to APL Materials for peer review.[35][17] On 3 August 2023, a newly-formed Korean LK-99 Verification Committee requested a high-quality sample from the original research team. The team responded that they would only provide the sample once the review process of their APL paper was completed, expected to take several weeks or months.[42]
On 31 July 2023, a group led by Kapil Kumar published a preprint on arXiv documenting their replication attempts, which confirmed the structure using X-ray crystallography (XRD) but failed to find strong diamagnetism.[20]
On 11 Aug 2023, P. Puphal et al., released their preprint synthesizing the first single crystals of Pb9Cu(PO4)6O finally disproving superconductivity in this chemical stoichiometry published later in APL Materials. [43]
On 16 August 2023, Nature published an article declaring that LK-99 had been demonstrated to not be a superconductor, but rather an insulator. It cited statements by an condensed matter experimentalist at the University of California, Davis, and several studies previewed in August 2023.[1]
Other discussion by authors
On 26 July 2023, Kim Hyun-Tak stated in an interview with the New Scientist that the first paper submitted by Kwon contained "many defects" and was submitted without his permission.[33][41]
On 28 July 2023, Kwon presented the findings at a symposium held at Korea University.[44][45][46] That same day, Yonhap News Agency published an article quoting an official from Korea University as saying that Kwon was no longer in contact with the university.[17] The article also quoted Lee saying that Kwon had left the Q-Centre Research Institute four months previously.[17]
On the same day, Kim Hyun-Tak provided The New York Times with a new video presumably showing a sample displaying strong signs of diamagnetism.[2] The video appears to show a sample different to the one in the original preprint. On 4 August 2023, he informed SBS News that high-quality LK-99 samples may exhibit diamagnetism over 5,000 times greater than graphite, which he claimed would be inexplicable unless the substance is a superconductor.[47]
Response
Materials scientists and superconductor researchers responded with skepticism.[18][48] The highest-temperature superconductors known at the time of publication had a critical temperature of 250 K (−23 °C; −10 °F) at pressures of over 170 gigapascals (1,680,000 atm; 24,700,000 psi). The highest-temperature superconductors at atmospheric pressure (1 atm) had a critical temperature of at most 150 K (−123 °C; −190 °F).
On 2 August 2023, The Korean Society of Superconductivity and Cryogenics established a verification committee as a response to the controversy and unverified claims of LK-99, in order to arrive at conclusions over these claims. The verification committee is headed by Kim Chang-Young of Seoul National University and consists of members of the university, Sungkyunkwan University and Pohang University of Science and Technology. Upon formation, the verification committee did not agree that the two 22 July arXiv papers by Lee et al. or the publicly available videos at the time supported the claim of LK-99 being a superconductor.[41][49]
As of 15 August 2023,[update] the measured properties do not prove that LK-99 is a superconductor. The published material does not explain how the LK-99's magnetisation can change, demonstrate its specific heat capacity, or demonstrate it crossing its transition temperature.[18] A more likely explanation for LK-99's magnetic response is a mix of ferromagnetism and non-superconductive diamagnetism.[41][16][50] A number of studies found that copper(I) sulfide contamination common to the synthesis process could closely replicate the observations that inspired the initial preprints.[10][11]
Public response
The claims in the 22 July papers by Lee et al. went viral on social media platforms the following week.[6][51] The viral nature of the claim resulted in posts from users using pseudonyms from Russia and China claiming to have replicated LK-99 on both Twitter and Zhihu.[52] Other viral videos described themselves as having replicated samples of LK-99 "partially levitating", most of which were found to be fake.[48]
Scientists interviewed by the press remained skeptical,[53][54] because of the quality of both the original preprints, the lack of purity in the sample they reported, and the legitimacy of the claim after the failure of previous claims of room temperature superconductivity did not show legitimacy (such as the Ranga Dias affair).[41] The Korean Society of Superconductivity and Cryogenics expressed concern on the social and economic impacts of the preliminary and unverified LK-99 research.[55]
A video from Huazhong University of Science and Technology uploaded on 1 August 2023 by a postdoctoral researcher on the team of Chang Haixin,[41] apparently showed a micrometre-sized sample of LK-99 partially levitating. This went viral on Chinese social media, becoming the most viewed video on Bilibili by the next day,[56][41] and a prediction market briefly put the chance of successful replication at 60%.[57] A researcher from the Chinese Academy of Sciences refused to comment on the video for the press, dismissing the claim as "ridiculous".[56]
In early August, people began to create memes about "floating rocks",[58] and there was a brief surge in Korean and Chinese technology stocks,[59][60][61] despite warnings from the Korean stock exchange against speculative bets in light of the excitement around LK-99,[55] which eventually fell on August 8.[62] Following the publication of the Nature article on August 16 that proclaimed LK-99 is not a superconductor,[1] South Korean superconductor stocks fell further, as the interest about LK-99 from investors in previous weeks disappeared.[63]
Replication attempts
After the July 2023 publication's release, independent groups reported that they had begun attempting to reproduce the synthesis, with initial results expected within weeks.[6]
As of 15 August 2023,[update] no replication attempts had yet been peer-reviewed by a journal. Of the non-peer-reviewed attempts, over 15 notable labs have published results that failed to observe any superconductivity, and a few have observed magnetic response in small fragments that could be explained by normal diamagnetism or ferromagnetism. Some demonstrated and replicated alternate causes of the observations in the original papers: Copper-deficient copper (I) sulfide[10] has a known phase transition at 377 K (104 °C; 219 °F) from a low-temperature phase to a high-temperature superionic phase, with a sharp rise in resistivity[11][10] and a λ-like-feature in the heat capacity.[10] Furthermore, Cu2S is diamagnetic.
Only one attempt observed any sign of superconductivity: Southeast University claimed to measure very low resistance in a flake of LK-99, in one of four synthesis attempts, below a temperature of 110 K (−163 °C; −262 °F).[2][64] Doubts were expressed by experts in the field, as they saw no dropoff to zero resistance, and used crude instruments that could not measure resistance below 10 μΩ (too high to distinguish superconductivity from less exotic low-temperature conductivity), and had large measurement artifacts.[48][65]
Some replication efforts gained global visibility, with the aid of online replication trackers that catalogued new announcements and status updates.[52][26]
* Structure confirmed by XRD. Resistance of one mm-sized sample dropped from 0.1 Ω at room temperature to noise level (10−5 Ω) at 110 K and below. No observed Meissner effect.
* Low-field microwave absorption below 250 K resembles superconductivity, but is destroyed by rotation in an external field. Theoretical models suggest the external field excites a fragile superconducting state to a vortex glass, followed by a ~2-day-long relaxation to the ground state.
† Synthesized LK-99 found to be a multiphase material. Performed single-crystal analysis with XRD. Tested four different Cu dopings, some found to be magnetic but none was superconducting.
* Modified LK-99 exhibited diamagnetic direct current magnetization occurred under a 25 Oe magnetic field, but significant bifurcation between zero field cooling (ZFC) and field cooling (FC) measurements, and paramagnetism at a 200 Oe magnetic field. A glassy memory effect was discovered while cooling. Typical hysteresis loops of superconductors were detected below 250 K, and there was asymmetry between forward and reverse magnetic field scans. Possible Meissner effect at room temperature.
In the initial papers, the theoretical explanations for potential mechanisms of superconductivity in LK-99 were incomplete. Later analyses by other labs added simulations and theoretical evaluations of the material's electronic properties from first principles.
Density functional theory analysis on a simplified 3D structure explored possible electronic structure that could favor superconductivity, suggests slightly decreased lattice constant.
Similar work published the next day by Si & Held[31] and Kurleto, et al.[92]
Concludes material is a transparent insulator, possibly with active Cu color centers at low temperature. Does not find signatures of type I or II superconductivity. Solves previous issues related to overestimation of lattice constant contraction, doping site energetics. Does not find flat bands at Fermi level, concluding they are related to an unfavored high-symmetry structure.
^ abcdefgLee, Sukbae; Kim, Ji-Hoon; Kwon, Young-Wan (22 July 2023). "The First Room-Temperature Ambient-Pressure Superconductor". arXiv:2307.12008 [cond-mat.supr-con].
^ abcdefJain, Prashant K. (2023). "Phase transition of copper (I) sulfide and its implication for purported superconductivity of LK-99". arXiv:2308.05222v1 [cond-mat.supr-con].
^ abcdShilin Zhu; Wei Wu; Zheng Li; Jianlin Luo (8 August 2023). "First-order transition in LK-99 containing Cu2S". Matter. 6 (12): 4401–4407. arXiv:2308.04353. doi:10.1016/j.matt.2023.11.001.
^ abHao Wu; Li Yang; Jie Yu; Gaojie Zhang; Bichen Xiao; Haixin Chang (9 August 2023). "Observation of abnormal resistance-temperature behavior along with diamagnetic transition in Pb10−xCux(PO4)6O-based composite". arXiv:2308.05001 [cond-mat.supr-con].
^ abcde조승한 (28 July 2023). 강의영 (ed.). '상온 초전도체 구현' 한국 연구에 국내외 논란..."검증 거쳐야" [Controversy both domestic and abroad regarding Korean development of room temperature superconductor ... "It has to be verified"] (in Korean). Yonhap News Agency. Archived from the original on 28 July 2023. Retrieved 28 July 2023. ... 논문이 아니며 공개도 의도한 바가 아니라고 선을 그었다. ... 이 대표는 이날 연합뉴스와 통화에서 "다른 저자들의 허락 없이 권 연구교수가 임의로 아카이브에 게재한 것"이라며 "아카이브에 내려달라는 요청을 해둔 상황" 이라고 주장했다. ... 이 대표는 권 연구교수가 퀀텀에너지연구소 최고기술책임자(CTO)로 있었지만 4개월 전 이사직을 내려놓고 현재는 회사와 관련이 없다고도 밝혔다. ... 고려대 관계자에 따르면 권 연구교수는 현재 학교와도 연락이 닿지 않는 상황으로 알려졌다.
^ abcPadavic-Callaghan, Karmela (26 July 2023). "Room-temperature superconductor 'breakthrough' met with scepticism". New Scientist. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 26 July 2023. Speaking to New Scientist, Hyun-Tak Kim at the College of William & Mary in Virginia says he will support anyone trying to replicate his team's work. ... [HT] Kim has only co-authored one of the arXiv papers, while the other is authored by his colleagues at the Quantum Energy Research Centre in South Korea, ... Both papers present similar measurements, however [HT] Kim says that the second [3-author] paper contains "many defects" and was uploaded to arXiv without his permission. ... Once the findings are published in a peer-reviewed journal, ... [HT] Kim says ... he will support anyone who wants to create and test LK-99
^ abcdefgLee, Sukbae; Kim, Ji-Hoon; Kim, Hyun-Tak; Im, Sungyeon; An, SooMin; Auh, Keun Ho (22 July 2023). "Superconductor Pb10−xCux(PO4)6O showing levitation at room temperature and atmospheric pressure and mechanism". arXiv:2307.12037 [cond-mat.supr-con].
^Chen, Yan-Cong (2023). "Magical or magnetic? Less commonly taught facts about real-world permanent magnets and their diverse interactions with objects". arXiv:2308.11542 [physics.pop-ph].
^ abHao Wu; Li Yang; Bichen Xiao; Haixin Chang (3 August 2023). "Successful growth and room temperature ambient-pressure magnetic levitation of LK-99". arXiv:2308.01516 [cond-mat.supr-con].
^ ab关山口男子技师. 补充视频_哔哩哔哩_bilibili. www.bilibili.com (in Simplified Chinese). Archived from the original on 1 August 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
^ abc이병철; 최정석 (27 July 2023). '노벨상감' 상온 초전도체 세계 최초 개발했다는 한국 연구...과학계 '회의론' 넘을까 [Korean study into world's first room-temperature superconductor ... can it overcome scientific 'skepticism' ... to win Nobel prize]. Chosun Biz (in Korean). Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023. 연구를 주도한 이석배 퀀텀에너지연구소 대표는 27일 오전 조선비즈와 만나 "2020년에 처음 연구 결과를 네이처에 제출했지만 다이어스 교수 사태 때문에 네이처가 논문 게재를 부담스러워했고, 다른 전문 학술지에 먼저 게재할 것을 요구했다"며 "국내 학술지에 먼저 올려서 국내 전문가의 검증을 받고 사전공개 사이트인 아카이브에 올린 것"이라고 말했다. 이 대표는 지난 23일 국제 학술지인 'ALP 머터리얼즈'에도 논문을 제출했다고 덧붙였다. 세계적인 물리학 저널에 인정을 받겠다는 설명이다. ... "지금은 작고한 최동식 고려대 화학과 교수와 함께 1990년대 중반부터 상온 초전도체 구현을 위해 20년에 걸쳐 연구와 실험을 진행했다"고 말했다. 이 대표는 상압상온 초전도체에 대한 특허도 출원했다고 밝혔다.
^KR 102404607, Lee, Sukbae & Kim, Ji-Hoon, "초전도체를 포함하는 저저항 세라믹화합물의 제조방법 및 그 화합물 [Method of manufacturing ceramic composite with low resistance including superconductors and the composite thereof]", published 2021-05-31, assigned to Quantum Energy Research Institute Co. Ltd.
^WO application 2023027536, Lee, Sukbae; Kim, Ji-Hoon & Kwon, Young-Wan, "상온, 상압 초전도 세라믹화합물 및 그 제조방법 [Room temperature and normal pressure superconducting ceramic compound, and method for manufacturing same]", published 2023-03-02, assigned to Quantum Energy Research Institute Co. Ltd.
^LK-99. Korea Intellectual Property Rights Information Service (Report). Korean Intellectual Property Office. 4 April 2023. Archived from the original on 26 July 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023. LK-99; ... Applicant: Quantum Energy Research Centre (Q-Centre); ... Status: Awaiting Examination
^关山口男子技师. "LK-99验证_哔哩哔哩_bilibili". www.bilibili.com (in Simplified Chinese). Archived from the original on 1 August 2023. Retrieved 1 August 2023.
^Li Liu; Ziang Meng; Xiaoning Wang; Hongyu Chen; Zhiyuan Duan; Xiaorong Zhou; Han Yan; Peixin Qin; Zhiqi Liu (31 July 2023). "Semiconducting Transport in Pb10−X Cu x (PO4)6O Sintered from Pb2SO5 and Cu3P". Advanced Functional Materials. arXiv:2307.16802. doi:10.1002/adfm.202308938. S2CID260334279.
^Hongyang Wang; Yao Yao; et al. (Ke Shi, Yijing Zhao, Hao Wu, Zhixing Wu, Zhihui Geng, Shufeng Ye, Ning Chen) (2 January 2024). "Possible Meissner effect near room temperature in copper-substituted lead apatite". arXiv:2401.00999 [cond-mat.supr-con].
^
Hongyang Wang (3 January 2024). "如何看待「真可爱呆」等人论文(2401.00999)发现可能的近室温迈斯纳效应(疑似室温超导)?" [How to view the possible near room temperature Meisner effect (suspected of room temperature superconductivity) discovered in the paper by "Truly Cute and Stupid" and others (2401.00999)?]. Zhihu (in Chinese (China)). Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
^
Yao Yao (3 January 2024). "如何看待「真可爱呆」等人论文(2401.00999)发现可能的近室温迈斯纳效应(疑似室温超导)?" [How to view the possible near room temperature Meisner effect (suspected of room temperature superconductivity) discovered in the paper by "Truly Cute and Stupid" and others (2401.00999)?]. Zhihu (in Chinese (China)). Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
^
Zhihui Geng (3 January 2024). "如何看待「真可爱呆」等人论文(2401.00999)发现可能的近室温迈斯纳效应(疑似室温超导)?" [How to view the possible near room temperature Meisner effect (suspected of room temperature superconductivity) discovered in the paper by "Truly Cute and Stupid" and others (2401.00999)?]. Zhihu (in Chinese (China)). Archived from the original on 3 January 2024. Retrieved 16 January 2024.
^Lai, Junwen; Li, Jiangxu; Liu, Peitao; Sun, Yan; Chen, Xing-Qiu (29 July 2023). "First-principles study on the electronic structure of Pb10−xCux(PO4)6O (x = 0, 1)". Journal of Materials Science & Technology. 171: 66–70. arXiv:2307.16040. doi:10.1016/j.jmst.2023.08.001.
^Kurleto, Rafal; Lany, Stephan; Pashov, Dimitar; Acharya, Swagata; van Schilfgaarde, Mark; Dessau, Daniel S. (1 August 2023). "Pb-apatite framework as a generator of novel flat-band CuO based physics, including possible room temperature superconductivity". arXiv:2308.00698 [cond-mat.supr-con].
^Georgescu, Alexandru B. (2023). "Cu-doped Pb10(PO4)6O, and V doped SrTiO3 -- a tutorial on electron-crystal lattice coupling in insulating materials with transition metal dopants". arXiv:2308.07295 [cond-mat.str-el].
최동식 (17 May 1994). 초전도 혁명의 이론적 체계 [Theoretical Framework of the Superconducting Revolution] (in Korean). 고려대학교출판부. ISBN89-7641-276-1. Archived from the original on 27 July 2023. Retrieved 27 July 2023.
"최동식". Donga Science (Interview with T.S. Chair) (in Korean): 106‒107. September 1993. Archived from the original on 20 March 2023. Retrieved 3 August 2023.
Krivovichev, Sergey V.; Burns, Peter C. (17 October 2002). "Crystal chemistry of lead oxide phosphates: crystal structures of Pb4O(PO4)2, Pb8O5(PO4)2 and Pb10(PO4)6O". Zeitschrift für Kristallographie – Crystalline Materials. 218 (5). Munich: Oldenbourg Wissenschaftsverlag (published 1 May 2003): 357–365. doi:10.1524/zkri.218.5.357.20732. S2CID101229927. The compound Pb10(PO4)6O has been designated 'oxypyromorphite' ... Pb10(PO4)6O crystallizes with an apatite-type structure. The structure contains a single O atom that is not part of a PO4 tetrahedron; it has a site occupancy factor of 0.25 and is located on the 63 axis.
Wu, Yuewei; Sun, Wenya; Li, Ruiyang (28 July 2023). 南大教授谈韩国室温超导: 不像超导, 正重复实验—新闻 [NU professor talks about room temperature superconductivity found in South Korea: Unlike superconductivity, experiments are being repeated]. ScienceNet.cn (broad overview) (in Chinese). Archived from the original on 31 July 2023. Retrieved 31 July 2023.
안경애 (8 August 2023). "'LK-99 샘플' 미세 결정구조 논문과 같다"...에너지공대 확인 [The 'LK-99' sample crystal structure matches published paper — [Korea University] College of Energy Engineering]. Digital Times (in Korean). Archived from the original on 10 August 2023. Retrieved 9 August 2023. LK-99 연구에 참여하고 있는 한국에너지공대의 한 연구자는 8일 디지털타임스와의 통화에서 "샘플에 대한 X선 회절구조 분석 결과, 논문에 제시된 것과 샘플의 미세 결정구조가 같다는 사실을 확인했다"고 밝혔다. 이 연구자는 "미세 결정구조를 보면 물질의 물성을 확인하지 못해도 가능성을 추정할 수 있다. LK-99 분석을 위해 X레이로 미세 결정구조를 확인한 결과, 퀀텀에너지연구소 측이 논문에서 밝힌 결정구조와 샘플에서 확인되는 결정구조가 같았다"고 말했다.
Shilin Zhu; Wei Wu; Zheng Li; Jianlin Luo (8 August 2023). "First-order transition in LK-99 containing Cu2S". Matter. 6 (12): 4401–4407. arXiv:2308.04353. doi:10.1016/j.matt.2023.11.001.
Magnetic Property Test of LK-99 Film (video). Quantum Energy Research Centre. 26 January 2023. Retrieved 25 July 2023 – via Youtube. This effect is a conductive copper plate induced by a magnetic.