Featured Article Recognition: High-Precision Theoretical Gas Data Paves the Way for Portable Quantum Pressure Standards

A recent publication by an ECT* researcher, titled “Recommended Second Virial Coefficients for Nitrogen and Oxygen”, has been highlighted as a Featured Article by the Journal of Physical and Chemical Reference Data. The paper provides comprehensive, highly accurate reference values and uncertainties for the second virial coefficients of molecular nitrogen and oxygen across broad temperature ranges. By filling critical gaps in our knowledge of gas properties, this research represents an important step forward toward practical, portable, and self-calibrating pressure measurement devices—paving the way for compact, SI-traceable optical refractometry standards that eliminate the need for traditional mechanical pressure balances.
This work was conducted with funding support from the MQB-Pascal project.