Chapter 374 After All, He Is Just a Junior!
While the joy brought by the good news of the controlled nuclear fusion project was still in my heart, another good news came from the Sichuan Hai Materials Research Institute.
It was not that there was any breakthrough in high-temperature superconducting materials, but I heard that a method for quickly synthesizing graphene was found.
Graphene, this name must have been heard by anyone who pays a little attention to the materials industry.
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 conductive and thermally conductive new nanomaterial discovered so far. It is called "black gold" and 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 industry revolution that will sweep the world.
If there are any shortcomings, on the one hand, it is very difficult and expensive to produce graphene on a large scale, and on the other hand, graphene materials are easily oxidized in the air, which limits its scope of use to a certain extent.
Of course, what is meant here is 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 kind of graphene is completely meaningless.
At the time of the 19th report, the global production of graphene in all countries combined was only 1,200 tons.
1,200 tons, this number is not even a drop in the bucket compared to the global market demand for graphene.
When replicating the high-temperature copper-carbon-silver composite superconducting material before, Xu Chuan asked the Chuanhai Materials Research Institute to study carbon nanomaterials by the way. The purpose was also here, and he wanted to try to see if there could be some breakthroughs in this regard.
After all, in addition to graphene, there are many other types of carbon nanomaterials.
For example, carbon nanotubes, carbon nanofibers, nanocarbon balls, fullerenes, nanodiamonds, etc., these carbon nanomaterials also have very broad application prospects.
For example, fullerene, in addition to some properties of graphene, it can also be used in cosmetics.
Fullerene C60 has the functions of scavenging active oxygen free radicals, activating skin cells, and preventing aging.
Since the 21st century, fullerene has been used as a raw material for cosmetics. It has excellent value in anti-wrinkle, whitening and anti-aging, and has become a highly anticipated cutting-edge beauty ingredient. Many high-end skin care brands contain fullerene ingredients.
Its unique properties allow it to remove free radicals on the skin like a sponge, with strong absorption and large capacity.
But its disadvantage is 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 a little from it is enough to benefit for a lifetime.
It was with this mentality that Xu Chuan asked the Chuanhai Materials Research Institute to study it.
However, he did not expect that the institute would have a breakthrough in the field of graphene so quickly.
Quickly rushing to the Chuanhai Materials Research Institute, Xu Chuan came to Fan Pengyue's office.
Seeing him coming, Brother Fan, who was busy with work, put down the signature pen in his hand.
Xu Chuan did not waste words and asked directly and quickly: "What about the new method of synthesizing graphene?"
Fan Pengyue stood up, opened the drawer, took out a document that he had agreed to prepare in advance, and handed it over.
Xu Chuan took it and read it carefully.
The result surprised him a little. The method of rapid synthesis of graphene materials developed by the Sichuan Hai Materials Research Institute was not developed by the carbon nanomaterial research group. Instead, it was discovered by the lithium battery research group when studying lithium-sulfur batteries.
Because of the artificial SEI film, the Sichuan Hai Materials Research Institute has always had an independent department studying lithium-ion batteries, lithium-sulfur batteries, lithium metal batteries and other things.
After all, when the lithium dendrite problem is solved, these batteries are very promising fields.
When further optimizing lithium batteries, a researcher named "Yan Liu" used hydrazine hydrate/ascorbic acid/molten salt hydroxide/anode waste current collector aluminum foil as a reducing agent to try to modify the LiFePO4 positive electrode and improve the electrochemical performance and cycle stability of lithium batteries.
The optimization was not achieved, but unexpectedly, when testing the failed product, Yan Liu found a layer of carbon film attached to the negative electrode.
After testing, it was confirmed that this was a layer of graphene film material with a higher purity.
This graphene film immediately attracted the attention of Yan Liu. He knew that the Sichuan Hai Materials Research Institute was currently studying carbon nanomaterials, so he quickly reported the matter to Fan Pengyue.
Under Fan Pengyue's arrangement, Yan Liu took the lead, and other researchers of carbon nanomaterials assisted in the formation of a steering group to study this layer of graphene or the original experimental process.
The final study showed that the insertion/extraction of Li+ during the charging and discharging process of LIBs would destroy the van der Waals bonds between graphite layers, causing lattice expansion, thereby effectively separating the graphite layers.
For this reason, the graphite negative electrode that has undergone electrochemical cycling can obtain uniformly dispersed GO after chemical oxidation, 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 his team obtained graphene with one to four layers, and the stripping efficiency was 3-11 times that of natural graphite, with a maximum yield of 40%, a graphene layer thickness of 1.5 nm and a conductivity of 1.
Compared with the normal preparation of single-layer or multi-layer graphene materials by mechanical stripping, oriented epitaxy, liquid phase or gas phase direct stripping, the efficiency of this method can indeed be said to be quite high.
After reading the information in his hand, Xu Chuan also sighed.
It has to be said that sometimes luck is really important in the process of material research.
Who would have thought that when optimizing lithium-ion batteries, a new way to prepare high-purity graphene materials would be found unexpectedly?
Of course, this method of synthesizing graphene materials also has problems.
For example, the use of this method, which can be regarded as a "chemical oxidation-reduction method", to prepare graphene from discarded lithium-sulfur batteries will obviously involve the use of environmentally unfriendly and expensive oxidants and reductants.
At the same time, chemical reactions will also destroy the integrity of the graphene structure, etc.
These are all problems.
But putting aside these issues, the prospect of preparing graphene materials by this method is indeed broad.
Apart from other things, its stripping efficiency can reach several times that of natural graphene, which is a very 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 the matter over to the researcher named Yan Liu to deal with.
As for himself, he returned to the Qixia Controlled Nuclear Fusion Park to preside over the work.
The mass production of graphene is indeed very important. This is a very broad market, but the first ignition and operation of the Dawn Fusion Device is more important.
On the other hand, while Xu Chuan was closely preparing for the ignition test run, the EAST device on Luyang Science Island was ready to start again.
Time quickly came to September 25th.
The weather in early autumn was cloudless, and a breeze brought a hot breath to people's faces.
In the main control room of the EAST controlled nuclear fusion reactor on Luzhou Science Island, Chen Mingji stared at the screen in front of the main control console. On it, various jumping 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. Should we officially start the running experiment?"
Chen Mingji nodded and gave an order: "Start the running experiment!"
As the order was passed, one task after another was completed, and the long and tense time passed little by little.
Five minutes arrived quickly.
It must be said that the EAST device, which has experienced thousands of experimental discharges, does have its ability. Five minutes and three hundred seconds is not its limit.
In the main control room, Chen Mingji, who always pays attention to various data, showed a satisfied look in his eyes. Although he had ordered the running time to be set at five minutes before, he also made another preparation.
If the EAST device runs well during the experiment, the experiment will continue and reach the limit of EAST.
I don’t know how long it has been, and a cheer broke out in the main control.
Chen Mingji, who was standing in the crowd, also had a smile on his old face.
Although he was not interested in Academician Xu because of his position and his buttocks, he was really sincere about the advancement of controlled nuclear fusion experiments.
450.73 seconds!
There is no doubt that this operating time broke the historical record of the tokamak device!
The more than 120 seconds created by the superconducting tokamak device in France is only one-third of it.
Compared with the 300 seconds he proposed before, it is nearly half more than the operating time.
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's invitation to make a detailed report on the EAST operation experiment.
After all, the current EAST is the largest controlled nuclear fusion reactor in China and the most advanced reactor. The 450-second operating time broke the 20-second operating time of Goryeo at 100 million temperatures, creating a new historical record.
There is no reason not to make a report on such a great moment and show it to the world.
Especially for Chen Mingji, this kind of exposure is also necessary.
After all, every operation test, especially this record-breaking experiment, is the best evidence for him to ask for funds from the higher-ups, and it is also the best way for him to control the field of controlled nuclear fusion in China.
"Academician Chen, I am honored to interview you today. I heard that EAST has just achieved an operation time of 450. Can you explain the meaning of this number to the general public?"
The media reporter from the Nuclear Industry Newspaper who came to interview politely greeted him and started the formal interview.
Chen Mingji smiled and nodded, and said happily: "Of course no problem."
"EAST is a magnetic confinement nuclear fusion experimental device fully independently developed by the Luyang Plasma Research Institute. It is also the world's first non-circular cross-section full superconducting tokamak. In recent years, we have achieved many original results in the research of high-performance, steady-state, and long-pulse plasma."
"For example, the operation time, at billion-level temperature, the longest operation time before was 20 seconds in Goryeo. Today, on this basis, we have increased the time to 450 seconds! An increase of twenty-two times."
"This not only breaks the record for the operating time of the tokamak device, but also breaks the longest operating time of the controlled 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 of controlled nuclear fusion, and it also means that we are one step closer to truly realizing controlled nuclear fusion!"
Reporter: "Congratulations to you, you have created a new history."
After congratulating him, the media reporter of "Nuclear Industry Newspaper" asked: "I heard that the Qixia controlled nuclear fusion project led by Academician Xu Chuan also achieved ignition in July. This is currently the second fusion reactor in our country that can achieve billion-level temperature control."
"And it is expected that on October 1, they will also start the ignition operation experiment. I wonder what you think about this? Can Academician Xu also achieve a running time of 450 seconds?"
Wen Chen Mingji sneered, but then he stopped smiling and said, "It's not that easy to achieve a 450-second running time."
"It took EAST 13 years from 2007 to achieve a 450-second running time. No other country has been able to achieve this record yet, which shows how difficult this road is."
"To be honest, I'm not very optimistic about the nuclear fusion project led by Academician Xu. He relies on retired equipment purchased from the Planck Plasma Research Institute, and it has only been less than two months since it came back into operation."
"It's good to be able to do the ignition experiment in two months. I'm afraid it will take a little bit of time to achieve EAST's 450-second running record."
Chen Mingji deliberately emphasized the "a little bit" in the last sentence.
The reporter from the Nuclear Industry Newspaper on the other side clearly understood what the person in front of him said, but he didn't say anything, just smiled.
According to the person in front of him, this little bit, I'm afraid it's hard to say the specific time.
After all, he couldn't get to the bottom of it, so he could only treat it as Academician Chen's euphemistic answer.
With a smile, the reporter then asked: "That is to say, Academician Xu's announcement that he wanted to break the operation record on October 1st may not be so easy to achieve?"
Chen Mingji smiled and nodded, saying: "There are many problems to be solved on the Tokamak device, and it is still a second-hand device. Their operation can successfully ignite and run for about ten seconds, which is already very good."
"It is very difficult to break the record, even the 20-second billion-level ignition record created by Goryeo before. There is little hope. As for achieving EAST's 450-second operation, it may take a long time to achieve it."
"After all, he is still a junior on the road of controlled nuclear fusion."
PS: I'm sorry to all readers, I broke my promise today. I promised to update three times, but after getting up today, Yaowei may have caught a cold from the air conditioning at night. I felt dizzy all day and my nose was running all day.
The weather in Changsha has been very hot these days, 38 or 39 degrees (personally I estimate it must be over 40 degrees, as for the broadcast, you know) so I turned on the air conditioner these two days. I used to use the fan, maybe I am not used to it, and then I caught a cold? (I just hope it is not triple positive)
I went to the community hospital and hung four bottles of water before I came back in the afternoon. I barely wrote a chapter and updated it. Sorry.
In addition: I will not refuse what Yaowei promised. As compensation, after the cold is cured, the promised extra chapters will be doubled!