Using the strongest materials known to man, scientists are building the most powerful electromagnet in the world — one that won't blow up a split second after it's turned on. Once activated, the new magnet should be about two million times more powerful than the average refrigerator magnet.

The electromagnet consists of two parts. The outer section, or outsert, will be a cylinder, and solid except for a small hole, bored through the middle. Inside that hole rests the insert, nine coils made of copper and strengthened with silver wire as thin as 100 atoms across. Together, the copper and silver create the strongest material known to man, according to Greg Boebinger, director of the National High Magnetic Field Laboratory in Florida.

The copper acts like like the concrete, strong and tough. The silver acts like the steel rebars running through the concrete, providing flexibility. Together the inner and outer magnets can already create 90 teslas.

The scientists hope that within months they can develop the new electromagnet to reach their target goal of 100 teslas.

This won't be the first 100-tesla electromagnet. Technically it won't even be the world's most powerful magnet. Electromagnets as strong as 1,000 teslas have been created before. The new electromagnet will be the world's first reusable 100-tesla magnet.

The magnet is being built at the Los Alamos National Laboratory.

Source: NBC News

Photo: nbcnews.com