Chapter 355 All Roads Lead to Rome
Jinling, Sichuan-Hai Materials Research Institute.
Xu Chuan and Zhang Pingxiang are still busy optimizing the physical properties of high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite superconducting materials.
To date, the two have conducted in-depth research to varying degrees on their respective routes.
In the laboratory, Zhang Pingxiang found Xu Chuan, who was studying how to toughen graphene whiskers (fibers) onto copper-carbon-silver composite materials, with a material and a data report in his hand.
"Wait a moment, Academician Zhang." Turning to look at Zhang Pingxiang, Xu Chuan greeted with a smile, then turned to continue the work in hand.
After about ten minutes, after finishing processing the materials in his hands, he straightened up and walked over.
"How is it? What are the results of your research?" Xu Chuan asked curiously.
Over the past few days, Academician Zhang has been studying the optimization route of zirconium oxide doping in the laboratory. There must be progress, but he doesn't know how big it is.
Zhang Pingxiang shook his head and handed over the materials and reports in his hands: "There hasn't been much progress. I have tried more than ten different methods. The brittleness and toughness of copper-carbon-silver composites doped with zirconium oxide atoms. Not much has changed.”
"If it is over-doped, it can indeed change the toughness to a certain extent; but over-doping will cause the superconducting performance to plummet."
"Your previous speculation was correct. The zirconium oxide doping route probably won't work."
Hearing this, Xu Chuan was not too surprised. With his current ability, although he cannot be 100% accurate in judging whether a path is feasible, he can at least give some suggestions.
Academician Zhang Pingxiang's failure was also within his expectation.
Zirconium oxide atoms doped into high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite superconducting materials will change the crystal structure and atomic structure to a certain extent. As these two changes occur, the superconducting properties of superconducting materials will inevitably be affected.
After flipping through the test report information in his hand, Xu Chuan pinched the sample in his hand.
Not surprisingly, Academician Zhang’s research failed.
A small amount of doping is of little significance and cannot change the physical properties of superconducting materials.
A large amount of doping can indeed change the brittleness and toughness, but it will greatly reduce the superconducting performance, especially the Tc critical temperature and critical magnetic field, which are particularly affected.
These two aspects were seriously affected, and the superconducting material in his hand was almost useless.
"How is your research on graphene going?"
After giving up the zirconium oxide doping route, Academician Zhang Pingxiang did not have too much entanglement. After all, in the field of materials, it is impossible to stick to a path that does not work.
Xu Chuan scratched his head and said with a smile: "I was busy with other things the past two days. I just started researching it in the past two days. There hasn't been much progress yet."
Hearing this, Zhang Pingxiang shook his head and said with some emotion: "There are too many things for you to study. If you concentrate on making a breakthrough in one area,"
He didn't finish what he said, but both of them understood what he meant.
Xu Chuan smiled and said: "Actually, I think it's okay. Many disciplines and fields are complementary to each other. For example, if I didn't study mathematics, today's Sichuan-Hai Materials Research Institute wouldn't have the material calculation model."
Academician Zhang Pingxiang nodded and said: "That's true."
"Forget it, let's not talk about it." Academician Zhang skipped the topic and continued: "About the experiment on graphene whisker (fiber) toughening, if you don't mind, I'll give you a try; or you Tell me your experimental route and I will help you with other routes.”
"I guess you have a lot of other things on your hands right now. I don't think you have much time in the laboratory, right?"
Xu Chuan nodded sheepishly and said, "Indeed, I haven't had much time to do experiments in the laboratory recently."
He has a lot on his plate recently, including communicating about orders from CERN, managing controllable nuclear fusion projects, and the plasma turbulence CNC model. If Peng Hongxi negotiates, he will have to go to Luyang in person to direct it.
After all, no one is more familiar with the mathematical model of plasma turbulence than him. If problems arise during operation, he can make adjustments and handle them on site at any time.
Academician Zhang smiled and said: "In this case, I will take over the relevant experiments."
"You showed me your paper on the mechanism of high-temperature superconducting materials. It inspired and helped me a lot. I also need some experimental opportunities to verify it. It just so happens that you have a free materials laboratory and equipment for me to use. "
Xu Chuan thought for a while and said, "In this case, there will be a lot of trouble for Academician Zhang."
Zhang Pingxiang smiled and said that he was borrowing the free laboratory of the Sichuan-Hai Materials Research Institute, but this was just a reason to help.
He is a top materials science tycoon who is also at the top of the pyramid among academicians of the two academies. Are you afraid that he will not have laboratories and equipment?
But there is no need to say things like affection, just keep it in your heart.
It has to be said that since he returned to China, the domestic scholars he has met along the way can be said to be outstanding representatives in terms of academics and character.
Of course, this is also related to the fact that he does not expand his interpersonal circle very much. He has always known these national treasure-level academicians and scholars, either through acquaintances, introductions from senior officials, or memories from his previous life. of.
In this case, the scholars who can communicate with each other have very good character and communication with each other.
Here, Xu Chuan just sighed that all his studious friends were very good, and then the bad news came.
Gao Hongming and Peng Hongxi, who went to the Luyang Science Island Controlled Nuclear Fusion Project to apply for the EAST device to verify the plasma turbulence model, came back.
"The EAST device in Luyang has not been negotiated."
In the office, Peng Hongxi sighed and said that he felt a little sorry for the young man in front of him.
As one of the veterans in the field of controlled nuclear fusion in China, he was valued by the other party and invited to come out several times, but he didn't do this well.
Originally, he vowed that this matter would not be difficult for him, it would be easy; after all, Chen Mingji was also a former colleague, and the two had a good relationship. Unexpectedly, the other party was no longer the person he was familiar with, and no longer the person who was dedicated to the development of the country's controlled nuclear fusion cause.
Perhaps his goal has indeed not changed, but in this process, too much selfishness has been mixed in the goal and ideal.
The other party is now the general manager of the Luyang controlled nuclear fusion project, the director of the China International Nuclear Fusion Energy Program Execution Center, and the leader of the domestic controlled nuclear fusion project. He holds billions or even tens of billions of funds and leads and controls hundreds of projects.
If it were in ancient times, this status could be said to be a powerful marquis.
In the domestic academic community, he can control so much funds and so many resources. He can be said to be an absolute emperor, or a local academic clique.
Especially in the field of controlled nuclear fusion, no matter how attractive the prospects are, the cake itself is so big in the research and development stage.
Although the domestic controlled nuclear fusion project is divided into several different research directions such as tokamaks, stellarators, spherical beds, and inertial confinement, in fact, most of the relevant resources in the country are concentrated in the field of tokamaks.
As the general manager of the tokamak field, Chen Mingji needs to review and approve the funds of the domestic tokamak devices, whether they are under construction or planned to be built.
Not to mention the Luyang controlled nuclear fusion project that he is personally responsible for, even other tokamaks in the country may need to consider his opinions.
Peng Hongxi wanted to write a letter to the higher-ups to complain about him.
But he thought about it on the way back, and finally gave up the idea helplessly.
What if the higher-ups knew about it?
At their level, even at the level of science and technology or even higher, it can be said that it is a fight between gods.
The higher-ups have to consider the opinions of everyone on both sides. In such matters, at most, they can mediate the two sides like the police in the police station mediate the trivial matters of the people.
It is impossible to force Chen Mingji to hand over the EAST device to cooperate with Xu Chuan to complete the research experiment of the plasma turbulence model.
Xu Chuan is a national treasure-level scholar, and Chen Mingji is also a national hero and a top academician scholar. He has led the development of China's controlled nuclear fusion from scratch to the forefront of the world for more than ten years, and he has made contributions and hard work.
Although there are some selfish motives, it is nothing at the national level.
It can only be said that he did not think it through at the beginning, and the memory in his mind still stayed in more than ten years ago.
At that time, the country said that it wanted to develop controlled nuclear fusion, and this group of scholars born in the field of nuclear energy all turned around and joined in.
From nothing, to the first ignition of the EAST device in 2006 and joining the ITER International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor Organization; even if every step was difficult and the funds were extremely poor, they held a sincere heart and were determined to light the spark of controlled nuclear fusion on this land.
However, more than a decade later, the national economy has developed rapidly and has become the world's second largest economy. Naturally, more funds and resources can be allocated to the field of controlled nuclear fusion.
Interests and power are moving.
Although the other party is still working hard for controlled nuclear fusion, it will never go back to the era more than a decade ago when everyone squatted together to eat lunch boxes and debated how to optimize a certain plan or a certain part, and everyone worked together.
After listening to Peng Hongxi's simple account of what happened, Xu Chuan nodded and comforted him: "It's okay, Mr. Peng, we can think of other ways."
In fact, he considered this issue at the beginning.
On the one hand, this is indeed not a trivial matter. Modifying the control model of the controlled nuclear fusion reactor and making certain adjustments to the fusion reactor in the future, although theoretically it is a recoverable adjustment, not everyone is willing to accept outsiders "messing around" with their own equipment.
On the other hand, there are all kinds of things in the domestic academic community.
Although he is independently hosting a new project, the plate of the domestic controlled nuclear fusion field is so big. He took away part of the scientific research funds, so correspondingly, the scientific research funds of other controlled nuclear fusion projects will inevitably be compressed.
In this case, it is normal for the original person in charge of the domestic controlled nuclear fusion field to feel unhappy.
Not to mention the academic world, where there are people, there are rivers and lakes.
What's more, the domestic academic world is particularly special. Major universities + scientific research fields form a small world that is almost an independent kingdom.
When he won the Fields Medal and the country arranged for Mu Liangcai to contact him, he didn't ask for anything but a guarantee. This is also the reason.
So before Gao Hongming and Academician Peng Hongxi went to Luyang, he arranged to use high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite superconducting materials as a back-up for the exchange of interests.
But he didn't expect that the other party didn't even look at the verification data of the plasma turbulence numerical control model, and directly rejected the request.
How to say it, this is indeed a bit disrespectful.
Shaking his head slightly, Xu Chuan didn't care too much about this matter.
If the EAST device cannot be applied for, he still has to find a way to solve the problem of plasma turbulence numerical control model verification later.
Of course, if he goes to Beijing in person or writes a letter to the old man, this matter can still be solved.
But in this case, he will completely offend the other party.
Although he is not afraid of offending people, he doesn't have time and energy to waste on internal struggles with his own people.
After all, the other party is now nominally the general manager of the domestic tokamak route. If he really tears his face and makes trouble for him, he won't have to do anything else.
Instead of this, it is better to think of other ways.
What's more, the controlled nuclear fusion project is only one of his goals. If possible, he wants to try out the unfinished dreams of gravitons, dark matter, and extraterrestrial development in his previous life.
Controlled nuclear fusion is just the first step towards his dream.
Humans will eventually leave the earth. If possible, Xu Chuan wants to realize this era in his own hands.
Seeing that Xu Chuan did not have much emotional fluctuations, Peng Hongxi and Gao Hongming also quietly breathed a sigh of relief.
On the way back, they were discussing how to talk to Xu Chuan about this matter. After all, in comparison, this person is really young. It is normal for him to be angry when he can make so many top achievements when he is young.
Of course, if he is not angry when he is young, when will he be angry?
So the two of them have always been a little worried that this person will go to Chen Mingji in person to conflict, or go directly to Beijing to complain.
No matter which approach is chosen, it is not a good thing. Because the conflict will inevitably disrupt the normal development of the field of controlled nuclear fusion in China.
If a double winner of the Norwegian Institute of Physics and a leader in the field of controlled nuclear fusion in China really tear their faces and confront each other, some people in the field of controlled nuclear fusion in China will inevitably be panicked, and it may even involve some factions in other fields to crush each other and fight each other, which is not a good thing.
Fortunately, this person is calmer than expected.
After a sigh of relief, Peng Hongxi thought about it and asked: "From the current situation, we can't count on the EAST device in Luyang. In this case, should we wait for our own fusion reactor to be built, or think of other ways?"
Hearing this, Xu Chuan tapped his fingers lightly on the table, thought for a while and smiled: "All roads lead to Rome, there are still ways. Without EAST, there are other ways."
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