I am devoted to scientific research, but you want to trick me into having a love relationship?

Chapter 677 Just tell us directly, we can handle it.

office.

The two people sat by the window drinking tea.

Xu Qingzhou wasn't surprised by the funding issue. His last exchange with Zhang Zhigao was far from pleasant; in fact, it was quite confrontational.

The visits between the two entities were limited to the technology exchange of the originally authorized superconducting thin films.

In terms of exchanges alone, they have held more than 20 visits with the Institute of Plasma Physics.

However, the Southwestern Institute of Physics has only done this three times so far.

"That old guy is really enjoying himself now."

Ren Nan's tone was sarcastic.

HL-3 is progressing very smoothly and is expected to achieve its first plasma discharge two months ahead of schedule, in October 2020.

The Southwestern Institute of Physics is currently very popular, and the world's attention is focused on it.

"Don't worry about it. We have to take things one step at a time. We're just starting out, so there's no need to compare ourselves to these established institutions in the short term. From another perspective, our research institute is newly established, so we have the advantage of being a latecomer. The younger generation will surpass the older generation."

Xu Qingzhou smiled and said.

This is probably the confidence of a cheater.

Moreover, they also possess some stellarator technology.

Compared to tokamak, stellarators have higher manufacturing costs and greater technological complexity, and represent a competitive area in future energy development.

Currently, the fusion group has started designing a synchronous solution. Once the lithium dendrite group is completed and transferred there, the project will progress even faster.

"Yes, let's just do our jobs step by step. I heard that Lao Zhao and his team have something big planned?"

Academician Ren Nan asked with a smile.

"There's some progress, but it's still in testing. If all goes well, we should have good news before the end of this month."

"No wonder Zheng Xu and his team have been working like crazy these past few days. Every night when I pass by, I can see all the lights in their office are still on."

After chatting for the time it takes to drink a cup of tea, Academician Ren Nan got up to say goodbye and went back to his work.

Although he said he would follow the steps and not deliberately compare himself with other institutions, he still had a strong desire in his heart.

Ren Nan left.

Xu Qingzhou then focused his attention on the manuscript in front of him.

These days, in addition to his experiments with the lithium dendrite group, he is also helping Zheng Xu and his team to develop mathematical models. Zheng Xu is leading his team to screen materials using physical confinement, chemical adsorption, and catalytic conversion mechanisms.

Significant breakthroughs have also been made. After screening more than 20 kinds of carbon composite materials, they focused their attention on carbon nanotube composite aerogels and FeCoNi-S high-entropy sulfides. The former achieves near-zero dissolution through a physicochemical synergistic mechanism, while the latter breaks through the kinetic bottleneck through multi-metal catalysis.

Currently, tests are being conducted on these two materials.

Time slowly slips away amidst complex calculations.

Two hours later, Xu Qingzhou sent the completed model to Zheng Xu.

"In fact, both carbon nanotube composite aerogels and FeCoNi-S high-entropy sulfides have obvious pain points."

Xu Qingzhou rubbed his temples, staring at the model on the computer.

"I focused all my energy on the dendrite group a while ago. Now that the problem there has been resolved, I can finally pay more attention to the shuttle effect experiment."

Although the experimental results are not yet available, he is very confident.

"so."

Xu Qingzhou's gaze darkened. He opened the folder, which contained experimental data from Zheng Xu's group over the past six months. "Perhaps we can review all the experiments."

Time flies, and it's already the end of June, at the lithium dendrite laboratory.

In stark contrast to the usual bustling activity, the atmosphere in the large laboratory was heavy and anxious at this moment.

In mid-June, as arranged by Xu Qingzhou, everyone temporarily abandoned the other three options and focused on studying TiON-TiO technology. As expected, TiON-TiO met the experimental requirements.

And the results were surprisingly good.

During this time, the lithium dendrite group worked overtime to combine TiON-TiO technology with polyolefin-based membranes. And today, they are about to complete the final cycle test.

Everyone held their breath. Even the usually calm Zhao Shengwen looked at Xu Qingzhou with a slightly nervous expression.

After two weeks of hard work, they have successfully coated the polyolefin-based membrane with TiON-TiO nanocoating, and today is the day to release the test results.

Drop~drop~drop~
An instrument notification sounded in the laboratory.

"Professor, the test is over," a researcher reported.

Upon hearing this, everyone's pupils darkened again.

"it is good."

Xu Qingzhou nodded, his eyes fixed on the computer screen as he scanned the newly displayed data.

TiON-TiO modified group:

Cycle life – 2000 hours without short circuit

Interface impedance (Rct, Ω·cm) — <40
Diaphragm puncture strength – 2.7 GPa (not penetrated)
10C fast charging rate (20mA/cm).

After a while, Xu Qingzhou turned around and looked at everyone who was waiting expectantly, his face showing neither joy nor sorrow.

"Professor, what's with that expression?"

Gong Yunfei tentatively asked, "Why don't you just say it directly, that we can handle it?"

Under everyone's anxious gaze, Xu Qingzhou slowly said, "When the results come out, everyone should be mentally prepared. The report shows that the lithium dendrite problem is gone."

Indeed, accelerated life testing revealed that no lithium dendrites appeared in the battery during the cycle.

The laboratory fell into a brief silence, then burst into a loud, bustling noise.

Zhao Shengwen's hand holding the teacup trembled twice.

"Wow!"

"Professor, your expression just now almost scared me to death!"

"We made it!"

Cheers erupted in the laboratory.

"Damn, I doubt I'm fully awake!"

Even Hong Yayu, who is usually expressionless, had a faint smile on her face at this moment. Xu Qingzhou was sure that his senior sister's mind was already filled with all sorts of memes.

"Lithium dendrites, a huge obstacle in human history, and we've just taken it down like that? Old Wang, am I dreaming? Ouch, why did you hit me?!"

"Didn't you say you wanted to see if you were dreaming?"

"."

Gong Yunfei grinned and gave Hong Yayu a big hug.

Zhao Shengwen usually reminded the two of them to be mindful of their behavior, but at this moment, as he stroked the tea, he couldn't hide the smile between his brows.

Xu Qingzhou smiled faintly. It would be a lie to say he wasn't excited after solving the lithium dendrite problem.

"Qingzhou, if it weren't for you, I would never have imagined that I would have the opportunity to solve the lithium dendrite problem myself."

Zhao Shengwen's tone was full of sighs.

He had conducted battery experiments a few years ago, and at that time he lamented that he would never see the day when lithium dendrites were solved.

Because there was no hope of a solution, or rather, the materials known at the time were simply incapable of completely solving the lithium dendrite problem.

"The achievements of the experiment today are not the result of one person's efforts, but the result of everyone's hard work."

Xu Qingzhou shook his head.

"Yes."

The old professor nodded in agreement, looking at the young faces in the laboratory, "If it weren't for these young people working through the night, trying out materials again and again, and revising them again and again, we wouldn't be where we are today."

(End of this chapter)