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

Chapter 712 Oh no, I've been fooled by this brat!
Next, besides listening to reports and participating in group discussions, Xu Qingzhou's most important task was to consider the previously discovered nanoporous tungsten membrane.

He first created a mathematical model of the pore structure defect based on the data, and then conducted anomaly detection of pore size distribution and topological analysis of pore connectivity. On the fourth day of the seminar, he also conducted a multi-physics field coupling failure tracing.

In the following days, they searched for suitable solutions based on the mathematical calculations.

On November 12, the penultimate day after the seminar ended, Xu Qingzhou already had a general idea. Before he could even go to see Academician Li Gang, the latter came to his door first.

The hotel lobby.

After ordering coffee and exchanging pleasantries, Li Gang explained his purpose: "Professor Xu, if you are willing, our two research institutes can conduct more in-depth and extensive cooperation to jointly advance the EAST experiment."

"So you're trying to poach all of us?" Xu Qingzhou said helplessly.

“No, it’s cooperation. It’s not about making the Kyoto Institute for Materials Science a subordinate unit, but about joint research and development,” Li Gang said. “The field of controlled nuclear fusion is highly competitive, especially after we got your superconducting thin film involved. Not to mention international competition, there are already two national-level experiments in China alone.”

"Cooperation leads to win-win results."

There is currently no competition between HL-3 and EAST.

Due to technological limitations, the two institutions have different focuses: one focuses on achieving "fusion ignition," while the other focuses on long-pulse steady-state operation. In this respect, they can even be considered strategically complementary.

But the future is uncertain.

The field of fusion is developing rapidly. While focusing on its own field, it is also expanding outwards, moving towards the entire chain of building demonstration reactors.

Specifically, I want both "fusion ignition" and "long-pulse steady-state operation".

Both of them wanted to get ahead of the other.

As far as he knew, Zhang Zhigao was already arranging for people to upgrade the magnets and simultaneously work on stabilizing their operation.

Therefore, Li Gang thought of Xu Qingzhou.

Although the Kyoto Institute for Materials Science has only been established for a little over a year, its achievements are remarkable. The researchers were recruited with great effort and have a high level of technical expertise.

Talent is also a manifestation of competitiveness.

Seeing Xu Qingzhou remain silent, Li Gang slowly said, "Professor Xu, please give this cooperation matter serious consideration."

Spherical tokamak.

Compared to super-large experimental reactors like EAST and FX300, it seems to be completely uncompetitive.

"I'm sorry, you might be disappointed."

Xu Qingzhou shook his head: "Our institute's current focus is on the projects we have on hand, and we don't have much energy to participate in other collaborative projects at the moment."

Li Gang sighed. He had been mentally prepared before coming, but he still wanted to give it a try.

Xu Qingzhou changed the subject, saying, "However, we are quite interested in the tungsten-based composite material modification scheme that the professor mentioned in the report, and perhaps we can cooperate on related matters."

"Tungsten-based composite material modification scheme."

Li Gang thought for a moment and asked, "How can the microstructure of tungsten-copper alloys be strengthened through enhanced phase doping and grain boundary engineering?"

Tungsten-copper alloy is currently the most advanced material for first wall heat load resistance.

"No, what I want to collaborate on is nanoporous tungsten membranes."

Xu Qingzhou said with a smile.

Li Gang was stunned for a moment. Professor Deng Yunxiang had only mentioned this method in the report, but it was rejected in the first round of screening because of its poor results.

He wondered, "Given the current performance of nanoporous tungsten membranes, the effect is nowhere near as good as Solution 1."

Xu Qingzhou said, "What if we design a tiered function?"

Li Gang chuckled, “We had considered this before, for example, using a high tungsten content (WCu80) surface layer to resist high-temperature corrosion, a ZrO/YO ceramic transition layer in the middle layer, and a high copper content WCu50 base layer.”

He said helplessly, "But it simply won't work. Under long-term plasma bombardment, the surface forms fluffy nanofilaments, causing them to peel off and contaminate the plasma." "We don't do traditional gradient designs. My initial idea was perhaps to first create a hierarchical gradient porous structure, and then coat the surface with a composite layer."

Xu Qingzhou roughly explained his thoughts.

He pulled out a calculation manuscript from his bag, which contained the results of his calculations over the past few days.

"This is a radiation damage kinetics simulation I did. I found that when modeling the migration path of helium atoms under 14 MeV neutron bombardment, if the helium bubble aggregation density is >10/m, a nano-trap layer needs to be added. Therefore, we can try depositing a 1 nm TiN pinning layer."

“It seems feasible.” Li Gang fell into deep thought and joined Xu Qingzhou’s discussion: “At this location, we might be able to suppress interfacial cracks through a composite ZrO transition layer.”

"That's right."

Half an hour passed just like that.

Xu Qingzhou said with great confidence: "If successful, the thermal shock resistance of the sample will be improved by 300%, and the lifespan will be extended to more than 3 years."

The current first-wall material cannot meet Xu Qingzhou's requirements at all. Therefore, if they want to develop a tokamak, they must develop a tungsten-based composite material with stronger resistance to neutron radiation.

This is where we can get help from the Institute of Plasma Physics.

Li Gang stared at the calculation manuscript, his brows furrowed, seemingly pondering the feasibility of the plan.

10 minutes passed.

The two parted ways in the hotel lobby. Li Gang finally agreed, and the Kyoto Institute for Materials Science and the Institute of Plasma Physics each sent a few people to form a cooperative group to jointly develop nanoporous tungsten membranes.

office.

Seeing Li Gang's subtle expression, Xiao Chenghan couldn't help but ask, "Did Professor Xu agree?"

"No."

Li Gang shook his head.

Xiao Chenghan revealed an expression that said, "Just as I expected." This kid is very driven and doesn't seem like the type to be content to stay behind others.

However, Li Gang's demeanor was also off.

He hesitated: "Then you..."

Li Gang sat down, took a sip of tea, and said, "I agreed to a collaboration with him on nanoporous tungsten membrane technology."

Xiao Chenghan was stunned for a moment: "Wasn't this thing abandoned?"

The proposal was eliminated in the first round.

A few days ago, Lao Deng only mentioned it briefly in a failed case. How did it suddenly become a project?

"Professor Xu means that, from a mathematical perspective, if we use some superstructure biomimetic design to make breakthroughs in material composition—yes, that's it—there's still a lot of potential."

Li Gang explained to Xiao Chenghan.

"Superstructure biomimetic design"

Xiao Chenghan's expression also turned strange. "We didn't manage to dig anyone out, but we lost a few of our own people, no, we even lost our equipment."

The first wall material must be tested during the experiment.

The materials research institute hasn't even developed a superconducting magnet system yet, and they're still working on plasma. They simply don't have the testing capabilities, which means we have to borrow their equipment.

Li Gang coughed lightly and added, "Actually, we provide the equipment, and they provide all the experimental funding."

I was fooled by this brat.

(End of this chapter)