Electrical, mechanical, computing, and/or other devices that include components formed of extremely low resistance (ELR) materials, including, but not limited to, modified ELR materials, layered ELR materials, and new ELR materials, are described.

A superconducting composition of matter including overlapping first and second regions. The regions comprise unit cells of a solid, the first region comprises an electrical insulator or semiconductor, and the second region comprises a metallic electrical conductor. The second region extends through the solid and a subset of said second region comprise surface metal unit cells that are adjacent to at least one unit cell from the first region. The ratio of the number of said surface metal unit cells to the total number of unit cells in the second region being at least 20 percent.

A superconducting composition of matter including overlapping first and second regions. The regions comprise unit cells of a solid, the first region comprises an electrical insulator or semiconductor, and the second region comprises a metallic electrical conductor. The second region extends through the solid and a subset of said second region comprise surface metal unit cells that are adjacent to at least one unit cell from the first region. The ratio of the number of said surface metal unit cells to the total number of unit cells in the second region being at least 20 percent.

A superconducting material having a strong magnetic-flux pinning by way of sites having high electronic effective mass and charge carrier density. The superconducting material involves a superconducting host material and a dopant pinning material being inert in relation to the superconducting host material and has a {square root over ()}/m* in a range less than that of the superconducting host material, the dopant pinning material doping the superconducting host material.

A superconducting material having a strong magnetic-flux pinning by way of sites having high electronic effective mass and charge carrier density. The superconducting material involves a superconducting host material and a dopant pinning material being inert in relation to the superconducting host material and has a {square root over ()}/m* in a range less than that of the superconducting host material, the dopant pinning material doping the superconducting host material.

This disclosure relates to compounds of formula (I):

L.sub.nD.sub.m(B.sub.xB.sub.1-x).sub.r(Z.sub.tZ.sub.1-t).sub.qM.sub.pA.sub.y(I),

in which n, m, x, r, t, q, p, L, D, B, B, Z, Z, M, and A are defined in the specification. These compounds can exhibit superconductivity at a high temperature.

This disclosure relates to compounds of formula (I):

L.sub.nD.sub.m(B.sub.xB.sub.1-x).sub.r(Z.sub.tZ.sub.1-t).sub.qM.sub.pA.sub.y(I),

in which n, m, x, r, t, q, p, L, D, B, B, Z, Z, M, and A are defined in the specification. These compounds can exhibit superconductivity at a high temperature.

A superconducting bulk magnet comprising a plurality of superconducting bulk materials combined, in which breakage of superconducting bulk materials is prevented and a strong magnetic field can be generated, that is, a superconducting bulk magnet comprising a plurality of superconducting bulk materials, each comprising a single-crystal formed RE.sub.1Ba.sub.2Cu.sub.3O.sub.y (RE is one or more elements selected from Y or rare earth elements, where 6.8y7.1) in which RE.sub.2BaCuO.sub.5 is dispersed and each provided with a top surface, a bottom surface, and side surfaces, combined together, in which superconducting bulk magnet, bulk material units, each comprising a superconducting bulk material and a bulk material reinforcing member arranged so as to cover a side surface of the same, are arranged facing the same direction and contacting each other to form an assembly, a side surface of the assembly is covered by an assembly side surface reinforcing member, a top surface and bottom surface of the assembly are respectively covered by an assembly top reinforcing member and an assembly bottom reinforcing member, and the assembly side surface reinforcing member, the assembly top reinforcing member, and the assembly bottom reinforcing member are joined into an integral unit, is provided.

A heat-resistant member according to the present invention includes a member to be protected and a metal oxide ceramic protective layer which is disposed on part of or all surfaces of the member to be protected and which has a porosity of 0 percent by volume or more and 5 percent by volume or less. This heat-resistant member is produced through the step of forming a protective layer by firing a member to be protected provided with a metal raw material in the air in a temperature range lower than the melting point of an oxide of the metal raw material to form a metal oxide ceramic protective layer having a porosity of 0 percent by volume or more and 5 percent by volume or less on part of or all surfaces of the member to be protected.

A heat-resistant member according to the present invention includes a member to be protected and a metal oxide ceramic protective layer which is disposed on part of or all surfaces of the member to be protected and which has a porosity of 0 percent by volume or more and 5 percent by volume or less. This heat-resistant member is produced through the step of forming a protective layer by firing a member to be protected provided with a metal raw material in the air in a temperature range lower than the melting point of an oxide of the metal raw material to form a metal oxide ceramic protective layer having a porosity of 0 percent by volume or more and 5 percent by volume or less on part of or all surfaces of the member to be protected.