málmjónið

Málmjónið, often translated as metallic hydrogen, is a theoretical state of matter that is predicted to exist under extremely high pressures. At these immense pressures, typically found in the cores of gas giant planets like Jupiter and Saturn, the electrons in hydrogen atoms are thought to become delocalized, similar to electrons in metals. This would cause hydrogen to behave like a metal, exhibiting electrical conductivity.

The concept of metallic hydrogen was first proposed by physicist Eugene Wigner and metallurgist Frederick Seitz in 1935. They theorized that if hydrogen were compressed sufficiently, its molecular structure would break down, and the atoms would arrange themselves in a metallic lattice. This state is believed to be responsible for the strong magnetic fields observed in some planets, as the movement of conductive metallic hydrogen could generate electrical currents.

Despite extensive theoretical work, metallic hydrogen has not been definitively created or observed in a laboratory setting. Experiments have achieved very high pressures, but not yet the sustained conditions believed necessary to stabilize metallic hydrogen. Some researchers have claimed transient observations, but these have been met with skepticism and require further verification. The exact pressure and temperature at which hydrogen transitions to a metallic state remain subjects of ongoing research and debate within condensed matter physics. The potential applications of metallic hydrogen, if it could be synthesized stably, are vast, including use as a high-energy fuel or in superconducting technologies.