Chapter 237 Preparation before Nobel Prize
Peng Hongxi stayed in Shanghai for three days, waiting for the preliminary test results of the new lead-free nanocomposite reconstructed nuclear protection material to be completed before returning to the capital.
Also going to the capital with him was Xu Chuan.
At the same time, two copies of different protective materials were taken away, as well as preliminary test results for the two materials.
On the one hand, it is to make a report on these phased results. On the other hand, it is to discuss the Nobel Prize in a month's time.
It's already November, and in less than a month, the Nobel Prize award ceremony will begin.
Although the Nobel Prize award ceremony is in Europe and not in the United States, it is relatively safer.
But with his current age and achievements, going abroad is no longer a matter for him alone.
So he had to go to the senior management to discuss it and see how to deal with it.
When I came to the capital again, I still stayed in the hotel next to the Forbidden City.
After throwing his luggage and everything at the hotel, Zheng Hai drove Xu Chuan to the office building where the Science and Technology Center was located.
This time I came to the capital, it was not to meet the same person last time.
It's a phased achievement, so there's no need to alarm that person.
Maybe he knows, but as a person, there are more important things at hand than this, and it is enough to be able to support the work of scientific researchers behind the scenes.
"Professor Xu, welcome!"
Under the office building of the Science and Technology Institute, Chief Qin Anguo personally greeted Xu Chuan, with two old men standing beside him.
"Chief Qin, we meet again." Xu Chuan responded with a smile.
"Come on, let me introduce you. These two are academicians of our National Academy of Sciences." Qin Anguo stepped aside with a smile and introduced the two old people beside him to Xu Chuan.
"This is Academician Wang Zhongwang, a famous scholar in the field of international nuclear energy. He is a top scholar in advanced nuclear energy systems with inherent safety characteristics. The high-temperature gas-cooled reactor technology and circulating cooling water system of domestic nuclear power plants are all made by him."
"This is Academician Jiang Shengjie Jiang, a meritorious figure in our country's nuclear industry. He has participated in the development of two bombs, guided the development of nuclear power plants and supporting nuclear fuel safety cycle systems, and has made great contributions to our country's nuclear safety."
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Hearing this, Xu Chuan's expression straightened and he greeted the two old men respectfully: "Hello, Academician Wang, and Hello, Academician Jiang."
Wang Zhong shook hands with him and said with a smile: "A hero comes from a young age. I have heard of Professor Xu's name a long time ago. When I saw him today, he was younger than I thought."
Xu Chuan smiled and said: "Mr. Wang is overly praised. Compared with you, I am still far behind."
On the side, Jiang Shengjie stepped forward and asked directly without courtesy: "I heard from Chief Qin that you have developed a new type of nuclear radiation-resistant material?"
Xu Chuan nodded and said: "We have indeed made a new type of material, but we have only done some preliminary tests so far. The final results have not yet been determined."
"Have you brought any materials?" Academician Jiang Shengjie asked immediately, "Or can I go to your place and have a look?"
On the side, Qin Anguo explained: "Academician Jiang and Academician Wang are recently working together on a national nuclear energy safety project, which requires the use of some nuclear energy protection technologies and materials, and some traditional nuclear protection materials cannot match it."
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"Professor Xu, I don't know if it's inconvenient for you. If it's convenient, after your results come out, the Science and Technology Department can apply for internal use of some of the materials. Do you think it's okay?"
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Xu Chuan suddenly nodded and said: "There is nothing inconvenient about this. I can just ask the Magic City Research Institute to mail some of the relevant materials."
"It's just that the testing of this new material has not been completed yet, so I cannot guarantee its stability and effectiveness."
Jiang Shengjie's anxious expression softened and he smiled: "Then I'll trouble Professor Xu. I will do the relevant tests here, so I won't put you in trouble."
Xu Chuan nodded. The nuclear beta radiation energy aggregation and conversion into electric energy project is a wholly state-owned project. Whatever achievements it has made, its intellectual property rights also belong to the state.
It is a normal thing to take it from the country and use it in the country.
As for the trouble, he wasn't worried.
In domestic academic circles, there are not many people who can cause trouble for him.
The group of four people chatted at the door for a while, and then, led by Qin Anguo, entered the science and technology building.
In the office, Xu Chuan took the tea handed by his assistant and put it on the table beside him.
"Chief Qin, I came here mainly for two things."
He didn't waste time and went straight to the topic. After all, both parties were busy people and didn't have much time to chat.
On the opposite side, after hearing this, Qin Anguo sat upright and said seriously: "You said it."
"The first one is about the nuclear energy beta radiation energy aggregation and conversion into electric energy project. At present, the nuclear energy project has entered the formal stage, and the results of the first phase have been achieved."
"The next research needs support, whether in terms of scientific research funds or experimental materials."
Qin Anguo nodded and said: "These are no problem. You can rest assured that the country will fully support the nuclear energy beta radiation energy concentration and conversion project."
He didn't even ask Xu Chuan how much money or help he needed, and just agreed.
This is not only the huge reputation brought by the recent Nobel Prize, but also the phased results of the nuclear energy beta radiation energy concentration and conversion into electric energy project.
Whether it is the ‘crystalline erbium zirconate’ material or the subsequent lead-free nanocomposite reconstructed protective materials, they are all of extremely high value.
The first batch of one billion capital investment, either of these two materials, is enough to withstand the investment.
In addition, and more importantly, the person who applied for these things was Xu Chuan.
This name is enough.
The world's first Nobel Prize and Fields Medal winner. He is only 21 years old. His series of achievements in solving the seven millennium problems are enough for any country to invest heavily in him. Supported.
On the sidelines, Xu Chuan continued: "The second thing is about the Nobel Prize."
"Nobel Prize?" Qin Anguo looked at Xu Chuan with confusion.
Xu Chuan nodded and said: "Although it is a very happy thing to win the Nobel Prize, its award ceremony is abroad. Now that I am in charge of a nuclear energy project, I don't know whether I should go out to receive the award. ”
"If we go, how can we ensure safety? I believe Director Qin also knows something about the inexplicable death of an Iranian nuclear physics expert not long ago."
He directly stated the matter and asked his superiors whether he should go and receive the award.
A Nobel Prize in Physics is still very important to him and China today.
Now that you have obtained it, there is no reason not to get it back.
But considering some other things, safety needs to be guaranteed.
Hearing this, Qin Anguo showed a puzzled smile on his face: "Don't worry, the country has already considered this. Safety issues are not a problem. Someone will protect you when the time comes."
"And we are not Iran. No one dares to do anything to an internationally renowned scholar like you." "Unless they want to start a war directly!"
After a pause, he continued: "Of course, safety is not a trivial matter. If it is not safe to fly in and out, we actually have another plan here."
"What plan?" Xu Chuan asked curiously.
"Train!" Qin Anguo spit out two words.
"There is a dedicated train line from Beijing to Cosmo, which can go directly to Europe. Although it takes a longer time, it is safer than flying and easier to face various emergencies."
"This is a backup plan. If you don't mind wasting some time, Professor Xu, we can definitely take the train there. It's safer."
Hearing this, Xu Chuan suddenly nodded. He heard that this train seemed to go directly from the capital to Cosmo. It was a tourist train and the scenery along the way was very nice.
Compared with flying, trains are indeed safer.
Even if something unexpected happens during the journey, it will be on the ground.
It's not like an airplane flying in the sky. If something goes wrong, the sky and the earth won't work.
Xu Chuan also relaxed a lot after settling the follow-up funding development of the nuclear energy project and the Nobel Prize.
After spending two days in the capital, talking to academicians Wang Zhong and Jiang Shengjie about the safety protection of nuclear energy projects, and going to Shuimu University to visit his sister Xu Xiao, he returned to Jinling.
‘Crystalline erbium zirconate’ materials and lead-free nanocomposite reconstructed protective materials have already entered testing, and the work at the Nuclear Energy Research Institute has come to an end for the time being.
While the others went to work as usual to resolve follow-up matters, Xu Chuan went to the ‘Chuanhai Materials Research Institute’ that he purchased.
After being left out for more than a month, it’s time to check out the progress of the research and development of electrolytes and artificial SEI films.
Although the staffing of the Chuanhai Materials Research Institute is similar to that of the Nuclear Energy Research Institute, the research and development of lithium battery materials is not as difficult and complex as the research and development of nuclear radiation protection materials.
And with the theories and guidance he left behind before, the research and development progress should not be much different.
Finding Fan Pengyue in the laboratory, Xu Chuan asked about the research and development status of the two projects.
"The research and development speed of electrolyte is faster than that of artificial SEI film. After all, it is much simpler than artificial SEI film."
"We already have preliminary finished products, which are currently being tested. If there are no problems with the tests, we can assemble them into complete lithium batteries and conduct charging and discharging experiments."
"As for the research and development of artificial SEI films, it may take some time. The specific time is uncertain. There are some problems in the research and development here, and we are trying to solve them. I am about to send you an email to tell you about it."
In the office, Fan Pengyue made a brief report on the progress of the project during this period.
"What happened?"
Xu Chuan asked in surprise when he heard that there were problems in the research and development of artificial SEI films.
Logically speaking, with him providing detailed routes and methods, research and development should go smoothly.
Fan Pengyue: "Researcher Yu Zhen produced a finished SEI film some time ago, but unfortunately, the performance of this SEI film did not meet your previous requirements."
"Inspection and testing found that although this artificial SEI film can avoid the formation of lithium dendrites, it cannot completely dispel the accumulation of lithium ions in the negative electrode."
"Theoretically, it does solve the problem of lithium dendrites. After all, lithium dendrites will no longer form. But in fact, because of the superposition of lithium ions on the negative electrode, it will also cause the Coulombic efficiency to decrease and eventually lead to battery necrosis."
"Where are the test results? Let me take a look."
Xu Chuan is very interested in the artificial SEI film created by Yu Zhen.
Although he has not done much research on lithium batteries, he can analyze various problems in lithium batteries from the perspectives of materials science and mathematics.
This is something that most materials scientists cannot do because they do not have such a deep mathematical foundation.
"Wait a minute, I'll print a copy right now."
Fan Pengyue responded and left in a hurry, but after a while, he came back with a document.
Xu Chuan took the still-warm printing paper, smelled the fragrance of ink on it, and began to read through it.
Judging from the data recorded above and the test results, in a sense, this artificial SEI film has indeed solved the lithium dendrite problem.
However, it still has not solved the problem of lithium precipitation and lithium accumulation.
The so-called lithium precipitation is related to the operation of lithium batteries.
When a lithium-ion battery is charged, Li+ will be deintercalated from the positive electrode and embedded in the negative electrode;
However, when some abnormal situations occur, such as insufficient space for lithium insertion in the negative electrode, too much resistance for Li+ insertion into the negative electrode, or Li+ being deintercalated from the positive electrode too quickly but unable to be embedded in the negative electrode in the same amount, Li+ cannot be embedded in the negative electrode.
At this time, Li+ can only obtain electrons on the surface of the negative electrode, thereby forming silvery white metallic lithium element, which is often referred to as lithium precipitation.
Lithium dendrites are actually a type of lithium precipitation.
When too many lithium ions accumulate in the negative electrode to form lithium precipitation, it not only reduces the battery performance and greatly shortens the cycle life, but also limits the battery's fast charging capacity and may cause catastrophic consequences such as combustion and explosion.
In addition, it will also cause excessive consumption of lithium ions in the electrolyte, resulting in increasingly lower Coulombic efficiency.
In layman's terms, the capacity of lithium-ion batteries decays exponentially.
If the battery's Coulombic efficiency per cycle is 99%, then after 100 cycles, its capacity retention rate is 36.6%.
In other words, a 100Ah battery will only have 36.6Ah of capacity left after 100 cycles in this situation.
The information in his hand shows that the lithium precipitation effect is particularly serious.
As a result, the Coulombic efficiency of the assembled battery is only about 99.91%.
This number already sounds pretty good. But it's actually not that high.
Take the most famous mobile phone battery as an example. Most normal batteries operate under normal conditions. When the number of charging cycles reaches 500, the battery can maintain up to 80% of its initial capacity.
In other words, after the battery has been cycled for 500 cycles, the capacity retention rate is 80%, which translates into a Coulombic efficiency of approximately 99.96%.
It is a full 0.05 percentage point lower, which means that if this artificial SEI film is used, the lithium dendrite problem is solved, but the number of charge and discharge times of the battery will be reduced by more than 200 times.
Solving the lithium dendrite problem can indeed increase battery capacity.
But it is totally not worth it to significantly reduce the battery life.
(End of chapter)