The researchers also published a recipe for making the material — dubbed LK-99 — which involves taking a relatively common mineral called lead apatite and introducing a small number of copper atoms into it.
What are lead apatites?
Lead apatites are closely related in formula and crystal structure to calcium apatites [ 19 ], which have been extensively studied because they form the mineral component of bones and teeth. Examples of the calcium apatites include hydroxylapatite Ca 5 (PO 4) 3 OH, chlorapatite Ca 5 (PO 4) 3 Cl, and fluoroapatite Ca 5 (PO 4) 3 F.
What is the formula for lead apatite?
Lead apatite is the name used in this paper to describe minerals of general formula M 5 (PO 4) 3 X, where M is either Pb 2+ or a mixture of Pb 2+ and one other cation such as Ca 2+ and X is a monovalent anion such as OH − or Cl −.
