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Question for the cognoscenti: supposing that LK-99 superconducts with T_c = 110 K, how significant a discovery would this be? I.e., does it establish a brand new class of high-T superconductors, or is it merely one unremarkable member of a known class? Further, does it offer advantages over other high-T superconductors such as ease of fabrication or cost?

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It's a brand new class.

The material cost is lower than most superconductors - it's lead and copper - but no one has any idea on fabrication, yield size, etc., now, so no good answers there.

Thanks.

To add to the other reply, it'd be a new class especially since it would be at standard pressure. I think the current highest Tc SC at standard pressure is at much lower temperatures. Frankly, there's probably a lot that you can do with a superconductor that you can cool with liquid nitrogen even if it can't carry much current or handle high magnetic fields. Moving from liquid helium cooling to liquid nitrogen alone significantly reduces the cost and complexity of your cooling system.

Don't YBCO superconductors already work at liquid nitrogen temperatures?

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