While the joy brought by the good news about the controllable nuclear fusion project still lingered in my heart, another good news came from the Sichuan-Hai Materials Research Institute.
It’s not that there is any breakthrough in high-temperature superconducting materials, but I heard that a method to quickly synthesize graphene has been found.
Graphene, this name must have been heard by anyone who pays a little attention to the materials world.
It is a two-dimensional atomic scale, hexagonal carbon allotrope material with important application prospects in optics, electricity, mechanics, micro-nano processing, energy, biomedicine and drug delivery.
It is also the thinnest, strongest, and most electrically and thermally conductive new type of nanomaterial discovered so far. It is called "black gold" and is the "king of new materials."
Scientists even predict that graphene will "completely change the 21st century." It is very likely to set off a disruptive new technology and new industrial revolution sweeping the world.
If we want to talk about its shortcomings, on the one hand, it is very difficult and expensive to produce graphene on a large scale. On the other hand, the graphene material is easily oxidized in the air, which limits its use scope to a certain extent.
Of course, this refers to the kind of graphene that can be used industrially, not the so-called hundreds of layers of graphene that you can get by scratching on the manuscript paper with a 2B pencil.
That makes absolutely no sense.
When the current global production of graphene was reported in 2019, the cumulative total of all countries combined was only 1,200 tons.
One thousand two hundred tons, this number is not even a drop in the bucket compared to the global market demand for graphene.
When he was replicating high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite superconducting materials, Xu Chuan asked the Chuanhai Institute of Materials to study carbon nanomaterials. The purpose was also here, and he wanted to try it to see if he could make a breakthrough in this area.
After all, in addition to graphene, there are many other types of carbon nanomaterials.
For example, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, carbon nanospheres, fullerenes, nanodiamonds, etc. These carbon nanomaterials also have broad application prospects.
For example, fullerene, in addition to some of the properties of graphene, can also be applied to cosmetics.
Fullerene C60 has the functions of scavenging reactive oxygen free radicals, activating skin cells, and preventing aging.
Since the 21st century, fullerene has been used as a cosmetic raw material. It has excellent anti-wrinkle, whitening, and anti-aging value, and has become a highly anticipated cutting-edge beauty ingredient. Many high-end skin care brands contain fullerenes.
Its unique properties enable it to scavenge free radicals on the skin like a sponge, with strong absorption and large capacity.
But its shortcomings are the same as graphene, and it cannot be produced in large quantities.
Carbon nanomaterials can be said to be a huge treasure house. Just digging out a little bit from it will be enough to benefit you for a lifetime.
It was with this mentality that Xu Chuan asked the Sichuan-Hai Materials Research Institute to study it.
However, he did not expect that in the field of graphene, the institute would make a breakthrough so quickly.
Quickly rushing to the Chuanhai Materials Research Institute, Xu Chuan came to Fan Pengyue's office.
Seeing him coming, Senior Brother Fan, who was busy with his work, put down the pen in his hand.
Xu Chuan did not waste any nonsense and asked quickly and directly: "What about the new method of synthesizing graphene?"
Fan Pengyue stood up, opened the drawer, took out a document that he had promised to prepare in advance, and handed it over.
Xu Chuan took it and read it carefully.
The result surprised him. The method of rapidly synthesizing graphene materials developed by the Sichuan Hai Materials Research Institute was not developed by the carbon nanomaterials research team. It was discovered accidentally by the lithium battery research team while studying lithium-sulfur batteries.
Because of the artificial SEI film, the Chuanhai Institute of Materials has always had an independent department studying lithium-ion batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, lithium metal batteries, etc.
After all, these batteries are a promising area once the lithium dendrite problem is solved.
When further optimizing lithium batteries, a researcher named 'Yan Liu' used hydrazine hydrate/ascorbic acid/molten salt hydroxide/positive electrode waste current collector aluminum foil as a reducing agent in an attempt to modify the LiFePO4 positive electrode. Improve the electrochemical performance and cycle stability of lithium batteries.
The optimization was not achieved, but unexpectedly, during production testing of the product that failed in the experiment, Yan Liu discovered a carbon film attached to the negative electrode.
After testing, it was confirmed that this was a layer of graphene film material with higher purity.
This graphene film immediately attracted Yan Liu's attention. He knew that the Sichuan Hai Materials Research Institute was currently researching carbon nanomaterials, so he quickly reported the matter to Fan Pengyue.
Under Fan Pengyue's arrangement, led by Yan Liu and assisted by other carbon nanomaterials researchers, a steering group was established to study this layer of graphene or the original experimental process.
The final study shows that the intercalation/extraction of Li+ during the charge and discharge process of LIBs will destroy the van der Waals bonds between graphite layers and cause lattice expansion, which can effectively separate the graphite layers.
To this end, the graphite anode that has undergone electrochemical cycling is chemically oxidized to obtain uniformly dispersed GO, which can increase the yield of graphene under the action of shear force and acid treatment, thereby forming graphene.
Through further reduction experiments, Yan Liu and the others obtained graphene with one to four layers, and the peeling efficiency was 3-11 times that of natural graphite. The maximum yield reached 40%. The thickness of the graphene layer was 1.5nm and the conductivity was 1.5nm. Material of 9100Sm1.
Compared with the normal preparation of single-layer or multi-layer graphene materials through mechanical exfoliation, orientation epitaxy, liquid phase or gas phase direct exfoliation, the efficiency of this method can indeed be said to be quite high.
After reading the information in his hand, Xu Chuan also sighed.
I have to say that sometimes luck is really important in the process of material research.
Who would have thought that when optimizing lithium-ion batteries, they would accidentally find a new way to prepare high-purity graphene materials?
Of course, there are also problems with this way of synthesizing graphene materials.
For example, using what can be considered a 'chemical oxidation-reduction method' to prepare graphene from waste lithium-sulfur batteries will obviously involve the use of environmentally unfriendly and expensive oxidants and reducing agents.
At the same time, chemical reactions will also destroy the integrity of the graphene structure and so on.
These are all questions.
But putting aside these problems, the prospects for preparing graphene materials by this method are indeed broad.
Not to mention other things, its peeling efficiency can reach several times that of natural graphene, which is a quite exaggerated number.
After learning about the preparation process of this graphene material in detail and sorting out some ideas in his mind, Xu Chuan handed over the matter to a researcher named Yan Liu for processing.
As for himself, he returned to Qixia Controlled Nuclear Fusion Park to take charge of the work.
The mass production of graphene is indeed very important. This is a very broad market, but the first ignition operation of the Dawn Fusion device is even more important. On the other side, while Xuchuan is closely preparing for the ignition test run, the EAST device on Luyang Science Island is ready to start again.
The time soon came to September 25th.
The weather in early autumn was cloudless, and a gentle breeze blew the hot breath on people's faces.
In the main control room of the EAST controllable nuclear fusion reactor in Luzhou Science Island, Chen Mingji stared at the screen in front of the main console. On it, various beating images and curves showed that the EAST device was running.
On the side, assistant Mo Hongyun reported the situation: "Academician Chen, the plasma temperature has reached 117 million degrees Celsius. Is the experiment officially started?"
Chen Mingji nodded and gave the order: "Start running the experiment!"
As orders were passed on, each task was completed one after another, and the long and tense time passed little by little.
Arrived quickly in five minutes.
It has to be said that the EAST device, which has experienced thousands of experimental discharges, does have its capabilities. Five minutes and three hundred seconds is not its limit.
In the main control room, Chen Mingji, who was always paying attention to various data, had a look of satisfaction in his eyes. Although he had previously ordered the running time to be set at five minutes, he also made other preparations.
If the EAST device operates well during the experiment, the experiment will continue and reach the limit of EAST.
I don’t know how much time passed before a burst of cheers broke out from the general control.
Chen Mingji, who was standing in the crowd, also had a smile on his face.
Although he didn't like Academician Xu because of his stance and butt issues, he was indeed sincere about the advancement of controllable nuclear fusion experiments.
450.73 seconds!
There is no doubt that this running time breaks the historical record of a tokamak device!
The more than 120 seconds created by France's superconducting tokamak device is only one-third of that time.
Compared with the 300 seconds he proposed before, the running time is nearly half longer.
Seven and a half minutes, this data is enough for him to show off to the world.
With the completion of the finishing work, Chen Mingji also accepted the media invitation to make a detailed report on this EAST operation experiment.
After all, the current EAST is the largest controllable nuclear fusion reactor in the country and the most advanced reactor. The 450-second operation time broke the 20-second operation time of Korea at 100 million temperatures and set a new historical record.
There is no reason why such a great moment should not be reported and shown to the world.
Especially for Chen Mingji, this kind of exposure is also necessary.
After all, every operational test, especially this record-breaking experiment, is the best evidence for him to ask for funds from above, and it is also the best way for him to control the domestic controllable nuclear fusion field.
"Academician Chen, I am honored to interview you today. I heard that EAST has just achieved a running time of 450. Could you please explain the meaning of this number to us ordinary people?"
The media reporter from "Nuclear Industry News" who came for the interview started the formal interview after politely saying hello.
Chen Mingji nodded with a smile and said happily: "Of course, no problem."
"EAST is a magnetic confinement nuclear fusion experimental device fully independently developed by Luyang Plasma Research Institute. It is also the world's first non-circular cross-section fully superconducting tokamak. In recent years, we have made great achievements in high-performance, steady-state, long-pulse plasma A number of original results have been achieved in research.”
"For example, the running time, at a temperature of 100 million, the longest running time was 20 seconds in Korea. Today, based on this, we have increased the time to 450 seconds! A full twenty-two times improvement."< br>
"This not only sets a new record for the operating time of the tokamak device, but also sets a new record for the longest operating time of a controllable nuclear fusion reactor created by the stellarator Helix 7X."
"Of course, this means that we are at the forefront of the world on the road to controllable nuclear fusion, and it also means that we are one step closer to truly realizing controllable nuclear fusion!"
Reporter: "Congratulations to you, you have created a new history."
After congratulating each other, a reporter from Nuclear Industry News then asked: "I heard that the Qixia controllable nuclear fusion project led by Academician Xu Chuanxu also achieved ignition in July. This is currently the second nuclear fusion project in our country. A fusion reactor capable of achieving billions of temperature controls.”
"And it is expected that on October 1st, they will also start the ignition operation experiment. I wonder what you think about this? Can Academician Xu also achieve the same 450-second operation time?"
Hearing this, Chen Mingji sneered, but then he stopped smiling and said: "It is not that easy to achieve a running time of 450 seconds."
"It took EAST thirteen years from 2007 to now to achieve a running time of 450 seconds. No other country has been able to achieve this record, which shows how difficult this road is. Go.”
"To be honest, I am not very optimistic about the nuclear fusion project led by Academician Xu. He relies on decommissioned equipment purchased from the Planck Institute of Plasma Research, and it has only been operational for less than two months. time.”
"It's good to be able to complete the ignition experiment in two months. If we want to achieve the EAST 450-second running record, I'm afraid it will take a little more time."
On the "a little bit" in the last sentence, Chen Mingji deliberately emphasized the tone.
On the opposite side, the reporter from "Nuclear Industry News" clearly understood what the person in front of him said, but he didn't say anything, just smiled.
According to what the person in front of me said, this is a little bit, and I’m afraid it’s hard to say the specific time.
After all, he couldn't break the casserole and ask the truth, so he could only treat it as Academician Chen's tactful answer.
Smiling, the reporter then asked: "In other words, Academician Xu announced that he wants to break the running record on October 1st. I'm afraid it won't be so easy to do it?"
Chen Mingji nodded with a smile and said: "There are many problems that need to be solved on the tokamak device. In addition, it is a second-hand equipment purchased. Their operation can successfully ignite and run for about ten seconds. It’s already very good.”
"If you want to break the record, even the 20-second billion-level ignition record set by Korea is very difficult, and there is little hope. As for achieving the EAST 450-second operation, I am afraid it will take a long time to achieve it."
"After all, he is just a junior on the road to controllable nuclear fusion."
PS: I'm sorry to all the readers, I broke my promise today. I originally promised to update it three times, but when Yao got up today, he probably caught a cold due to blowing on the air conditioner at night. He felt dizzy all day long and his nose kept running.
The weather here in Changsha has been very hot these days, 38 or 9 degrees (I personally estimate it must be 40 degrees, as for the broadcast, you know), so I have turned on the air conditioner for the past two days. Before, it was always a fan, so it may not be too hot. Adapt and then catch a cold? (I just hope it’s not Sanyang)
I went to the community hospital to hang up four bottles of water and came back in the afternoon. I reluctantly wrote a chapter and updated it. Sorry.
Another note: Yawei will not refuse what he promised. As compensation, he will double what he promised when he gets better from the cold!