Scientists have created a material from graphite with magnetic levitation without external power

Magnetic levitation is widely used for frictionless sliding in toys, appliances, fittings and even trains (maglevs). But all this works from external power sources and sometimes very powerful ones, if we are talking regarding superconducting magnets for levitating trains. With permanent magnets it is a little easier, but there are limitations. Scientists from Japan tried to combine both magnetic effects in one device and something came out of it.

For their study, scientists from the Okinawa Institute of Science and Technology (OIST) took ordinary graphite. This material is known for its diamagnetic properties. It can acquire magnetization in an induced magnetic field and, thanks to it, for some time acquires the ability to levitate above magnets. This property appears along with the occurrence of eddy currents in the material. True, these currents quickly dry up due to the high conductivity of graphite, but this turned out to be fixable.

The Japanese enclosed grains of graphite in a shell of silicon oxide, which is an excellent dielectric. Then, using wax, they created plates with an area of ​​1 cm2 from such grains. By imparting magnetization to the sites, conditions were created for them to levitate above permanent magnets. Due to the good current insulation of graphite grains in the material, the eddy currents in them did not die out for a long time, providing the samples with sufficiently long levitation without external recharge.

Such material is unlikely to appear in magnetic levitation trains. Still, there is a different level of energy and power. But this technology can find application in sensors – force, acceleration and others. Even sensors with feedback are possible, although in these cases you will have to use power. But it will be possible to increase