Chapter 234: Start the Nuclear Radiation Countermeasure Experiment

The awarding of the Nobel Prize was a feast, and it also disrupted some of Xu Chuan's research arrangements.

Although he himself does not care much about this, this is the Nobel Prize after all, and its influence is the largest among all awards in the world.

Congratulations from relatives and friends, interviews from major media, and various social events kept him busy for several days.

However, as time went by, new hot spots replaced the old ones, and his life gradually stabilized.

Although he was busy these days, Xu Chuan also took the opportunity to learn about some of the happenings in the outside world, mainly in the mathematics world.

Since the Fields Medal was awarded, he temporarily left the mathematics world and began his journey of application.

But as the main research direction in this life, he must understand clearly the major events in the mathematics world.

As of early October this year, two big things happened in the mathematics world.

The first is that Peter Schulz, a professor of German mathematics who recently won the Fields Medal, and Professor Jacobi Stix of Goethe University jointly issued an article saying:

"They found a "serious and irreparable error" in the paper proving the ABC conjecture by "Mochizuki Shinichi", a mathematics professor from Sakura Country. "

In 2012, Sakura Country mathematician Shinichi Mochizuki announced that he had proved the century-old problem ‘ABC Conjecture’.

But in the six years since then, only a handful of mathematicians have said they understood Mochizuki's proof and agreed with it.

Most mathematicians are confused when faced with Mochizuki Shinichi's lengthy and confusing proof, which also leads some people to doubt Mochizuki Shinichi's proof.

To this day, Schultz and Jacobi have raised major flaws, which undoubtedly confirm the failure of the proof of the ABC conjecture.

Xu Chuan has some memory of this incident.

Because the ABC conjecture is of great significance in the world of mathematics, it has a high status in number theory, almost as famous as the Riemann conjecture.

Many famous conjectures/theories are its corollaries, such as Fermat's last theorem, Beer's conjecture, Mordell's conjecture, and the twin prime conjecture.

In 1995, Professor Andrew Wiles spent more than two hundred pages in a paper to complete the proof of Fermat's Last Theorem. But if the ABC conjecture is true, then the proof of Fermat’s big conjecture only requires the following lines:

Let a=x^n, b=y^n, c=z^n; where a+b=c

According to the ABC conjecture: c≤(rad(abc));

That is, Z^n≤(rad(x^ny^nz^n)≤(xyz)＜z)

Therefore, n<6, and n=3, 4, and 5 have been proved by Euler and others;

It can be concluded that Fermat's last theorem is true.

These few lines of mathematics, which can be understood by those who have learned factorial in junior high school, can be said to be extremely simple.

But it can prove Fermat's big conjecture, which took three hundred years to be solved in history.

And its basis is based on the ABC conjecture.

Xu Chuan also read Mochizuki Shinichi's proof paper, but he couldn't understand it either.

In a paper of more than 600 pages, Mochizuki Shinichi created a new mathematical theory that is completely his own, even mathematical symbols and words.

Specifically, this paper is full of all kinds of strange symbols, such as gold, wood, water, fire, and earth in traditional gossip literature.

Not only the words, but also the Bagua diagrams are used.

In addition, there are a lot of weird definition names in the paper. For example, "The Dark Edge of the Universe", "Hodge Cinema", "Alien Arithmetically Pure Structure" and so on.

To understand these things, you have to read the more than 600 pages of the paper and more than 500 pages of other papers (these 500 pages are all Mochizuki Shinichi's own.)

So after roughly looking through the proof paper of the ABC conjecture, he threw it aside.

In Xu Chuan's view, Mochizuki Shinichi's proof paper is comparable to Minke's proof of the mathematical unity of the sky and the square earth.

Although the former is a truly internationally renowned mathematician.

And the fact is that until he came back from rebirth, Mochizuki Shinichi's thesis was still in a state of self-interest.

Although he insisted that he had confirmed the ABC conjecture, the mathematical community no longer had any hope for his paper.

As for the other thing, it's the extension of mathematics to quantum computers.

2018 was supposed to be the year that quantum computers achieved “quantum supremacy,” that is, evidence emerged that quantum computers far outperform ordinary classical computers.

However, this is not the case.

In August, when the Fields Medal was awarded, Tang Yiwen, an 18-year-old Chinese boy, proposed a traditional computer AI algorithm.

Its computing speed can be compared with quantum computing, and it has achieved exponential growth in computing speed compared with previous traditional algorithms.

This discovery not only overturned the quantum acceleration myth of the two quantum computing heavyweights, but also proved that there is a fruitful interaction between quantum algorithm and classical algorithm research.

Interestingly, Tang Yi originally intended to prove that such an algorithm does not exist.

But over time and with her own research, she discovered that such an algorithm does exist.

The delay in quantum supremacy has even led some theoretical computer scientists to believe that quantum computers will never surpass the best classical computers.

Xu Chuan really didn't know much about this matter.

But he is clear that the development of quantum computers has not been abandoned by people in the future.

After all, Moore's Law has already limited the computing speed of traditional supercomputers.

However, Xu Chuan is very interested in the AI ​​algorithm proposed by Tang Yiwen, and he found a paper to read.

However, he doesn't know much about the algorithm, so he can only take a rough look and understand some of the ideas and core.

After thinking about it, Xu Chuan remembered the name in his heart.

If there is a chance, maybe he can mention it to see if he can dig this talent from the United States.

He knows the importance of traditional supercomputers better than anyone else.

In the next at least 20 to 30 years, traditional supercomputers will still be the main force of large-scale computing.

And the importance of talents who can provide algorithms for supercomputers is unquestionable.

After a while, when the Nobel Prize storm was over, Xu Chuan finally resumed his normal life.

The delayed nuclear energy and lithium-sulfur battery research and development projects were re-entered.

Under his leadership, the research and development progress of the two major projects has obviously improved day by day.

Especially the nuclear energy project.

With the perfect theory and Xu Chuan as the "prophet", and the stimulation of the Nobel Prize, the research and development of new radiation-resistant materials progressed rapidly.

With the help of the advanced equipment in the "Science Academy Magic City Nuclear Research Institute", the research and development team successfully produced the most primitive "crystalline erbium zirconate" in less than a month.

Although it is confusing to step from a familiar field into another unknown field, the one-month time Xu Chuan specially arranged to familiarize himself with the paper shortened the confusion period and observation of the eight researchers.

"Professor, the first batch of "crystalline erbium zirconate" made using nanotechnology has completed preliminary processing."

In the Academy of Sciences Magic City Nuclear Research Institute, researcher Xi Xuebo looked at the young man in front of him who was ten years younger than him with reverence and reported seriously.

The first Nobel Prize and Fields Medal double winner in history.

Not to mention in China, even in the world, he is a super cow standing on the top of Mount Everest overlooking the entire planet.

To be able to do scientific research under such a super cow, you may not have this opportunity even if you burn incense for eight lifetimes.

As a postdoctoral fellow, he actually had the opportunity to be among the first to join the research project of such a big guy.

Xi Xuebo didn't know how to describe his luck, and could only choose to do his best to do everything well.

In the laboratory, Xu Chuan didn't even raise his head when he heard that the first batch of 'crystalline erbium zirconate' had been produced. He just said "um" softly, indicating that he already knew it.

In front of him was another ongoing material experiment, which was a follow-up expansion of the 'crystalline erbium zirconate' material.

The material experiment in his hand lasted for more than an hour. After preliminarily processing the various materials in the experimental box, Xu Chuan took off his gloves and looked at Xi Xuebo who had been waiting on the side.

"Let's go, take me to see your results."

During this period, he did not follow up and participate in the manufacture of 'crystalline erbium zirconate'. For this material, he had prepared a very detailed manufacturing process in advance and handed it over to others.

As for himself, he had more important work on hand.

It is true that 'crystalline erbium zirconate' can isolate nuclear radiation, but it is a solid material similar to ceramics.

There is no problem with this material being used to make containers to store nuclear waste, but it cannot be used to make protective clothing.

When facing nuclear waste carrying high-intensity ionizing radiation, most electrical equipment will fail.

This is because electronic equipment generally relies on circuits to transmit signals to achieve their functions. Nuclear radiation, especially some neutron and proton radiation, will destroy the structure or generate interference signals, causing electronic equipment to malfunction or permanently fail.

In this case, it is unrealistic to use robots or mechanical equipment to complete experiments on nuclear waste.

Therefore, when he faces nuclear waste carrying high-intensity radiation in the future, a protective clothing that can isolate radiation is essential.

Metal clothes made of lead metal can adapt to some experimental environments, but due to inherent defects, lead protective clothing cannot be applied to all experiments.

And a protective clothing that can perfectly isolate nuclear radiation and does not affect the operation of experimental actions is the basic prerequisite for starting nuclear waste experiments.

The material experiment that Xu Chuan is conducting in front of him is this kind.

Using atomic cycle technology, he is making a relatively lightweight protective material for subsequent nuclear energy β radiation energy aggregation and conversion into electrical energy projects.

Following Xi Wenbo, the two came to another laboratory.

Here is the first batch of processed "crystalline erbium zirconate", the quantity is not large, the total weight is less than 100 kilograms.

However, it is enough to verify the effect of this new material for the first batch of isolation experiments.

Under the leadership of Han Jin, several researchers are processing the manufactured "crystalline erbium zirconate" into containers.

These containers are different, some are box-shaped, some are cylindrical, not very large, only one meter long, and only about ten centimeters in diameter.

These things are customized according to the nuclear fuel rods in nuclear power plants.

Generally speaking, nuclear fuel is in the form of uranium dioxide ceramic core blocks sintered from uranium mixture powder.

The ceramic core block is a cylinder with a diameter of one centimeter and a height of one centimeter. Hundreds of core blocks are stacked together and loaded into a slender zirconium alloy sleeve with a diameter of one centimeter, a length of about four meters, and a thickness of about one millimeter, and then formed into metal plates.

Because nuclear fission reactions are like burning atoms, these metal plates are called nuclear fuel rods.

After five to eight years of use, the fuel rods will be retired from the nuclear power plant and become nuclear waste that makes everyone headache.

Xu Chuan needs to use the material "crystalline erbium zirconate" to show the progress of his nuclear energy research and development project and the phased results.

The best way is to use the container made of it to store nuclear waste and test its performance.

By loading nuclear waste and storing it for a period of time, the stability, isolation and other properties of the container are checked.

Then the data is compared with the traditional container, and the advantages of this new material can be seen.

With the phased results, the subsequent experiments, whether it is scientific research funds or corresponding talents, can be quickly approved or fully assembled.

Of course, with his current status, it is easy to apply for these resources from above even if there are no interim results.

But the trust between people is limited after all.

If he squanders his reputation in exchange for resources but has no results, it will be difficult to get the support of the country in the future.

The Nobel Prize and the Fields Medal are not omnipotent. It brings glory, but it is also a double-edged sword.

As for how to use it, it depends on the winners themselves.

After the first batch of containers made of "crystalline erbium zirconate" were processed, the nuclear energy laboratory started the first batch of conventional radiation countermeasure project experiments.

The experimental method is not complicated.

Through instruments and equipment, a strong radiation source is created, and then the containers made of "crystalline erbium zirconate" are tested to collect a series of data.

But for the scientific researchers on the nuclear energy project team, it is a crucial step.

They have been busy for two months, and under the leadership of a Nobel Prize winner, they have created a new type of radiation-resistant material.

And how effective this material is will be known today.

This is related to whether the ‘atomic cycle’ theory is correct, and also to whether the ‘nuclear energy beta radiation energy aggregation conversion into electrical energy mechanism technology project’ can continue.

After all, after this period of research, everyone knows that the entire project is based on the atomic cycle theory.

If the most basic theory collapses, the project will be disbanded sooner or later.

This is a very difficult thing for the researchers in the project team to accept.

After all, it is not easy to have the opportunity to do experiments with the Nobel Prize winners. If the project is disbanded, it will be a big loss.

Therefore, everyone except Xu Chuan was nervous and anxiously waiting for the results of the irradiation confrontation test.