From top student in college to scientific research powerhouse

Chapter 117 of the paper is out! A new molecular formula—find it now!
The Capital Condensed Matter Physics Research Center

Zou Jianyong was busy in the laboratory, preparing for another determination of the surface properties of lanthanum nickel oxide 327.

Similar experiments have been conducted several times, but the experiments must continue because the data from each experiment differs to allow for more accurate analysis.

There was an associate researcher named Zhang Bo, who was a member of Zou Jianyong's team and also a friend of Zou Jianyong.

Zhang Bo knows Zou Jianyong very well.

Zou Jianyong is usually conscientious and responsible in his work. When conducting experiments, he always has a stiff face and appears very serious.

Today is a little different.

Zhang Bo clearly noticed that Zou Jianyong was acting strangely, because Zou Jianyong kept laughing, and he didn't know what he was thinking.

"Could it be... that he's having an affair? Has he fallen for some young girl? Is he in a relationship again?"

It's no wonder Zhang Bo thought that way; Zou Jianyong's smile was too strange, somewhat like that of a 'girl in love'.

Zou Jianyong also noticed Zhang Bo's gaze, but he really couldn't help but laugh.

In the morning, Du Wei contacted him to discuss the research progress.

They have confirmed the development of an aluminum-based high-temperature superconducting material and submitted their research paper to the journal Nature. The paper has passed the review process quickly and is scheduled to be published in the next issue.

In addition, and importantly, he received the news relatively late, but his name was listed as an author on the paper.

This is a blessing from heaven!
After collaborating with Zhang Minghao's team, he has been conducting related experiments, but he has no idea what kind of research he is doing. It seems to be related to aluminum-based materials...

But aluminum-based superconductivity?
Zou Jianyong didn't even dare to think about it. All he could do was complete the experiment according to the other party's requirements.

Now we suddenly know that the research has made a major breakthrough and discovered an aluminum-based high-temperature superconducting material, which is an absolutely significant and internationally groundbreaking achievement.

The paper has been submitted and passed the review of the journal Nature, which means that everything is finalized.

His name is still listed in the author's column. I'm content just to have his name listed, regardless of where it appears.

This isn't a question of how big or small his contribution was, but rather the unique nature of his and his team's research.

They were not researchers from the Applied Electromagnetism Laboratory, but rather project partners of Zhang Minghao's team.

As long as your name is on the list, it means that your research has made a contribution.

Once the paper is published in the journal Nature, the research center will definitely release an announcement, something like, "Professor Zou Jianyong of our institute and Zhang Minghao's team from Jiangzhou University have collaborated to develop 'aluminum-based high-temperature superconducting' materials."

Zou Jianyong was very excited just thinking about it, and felt highly motivated at work, taking his experiments even more seriously.

Of course, she couldn't help but smile.

"What's wrong with you?" Zhang Bo couldn't help but ask. "Team leader, you can't make a mistake!"

"What mistake did you make?" Zou Jianyong was taken aback.

Zhang Bo said, "Stop pretending to be stupid. Look at you, you've been acting strange ever since you entered the lab. I don't know what you're laughing about."

"You're not that old, you're almost forty..."

"What are you talking about?!"

Zou Jianyong was at a loss for words. He looked around, thought for a moment, and leaned over to say, "Zhang Bo, I have something to tell you, but you can't tell anyone."

"what?"

"Our research has yielded results. Zhang Minghao's team has developed an aluminum-based high-temperature superconducting material. The paper has been confirmed to be published in the journal Nature, which should be in the next issue, about half a month from now."

"—?"

Zhang Bo was so shocked that his mouth dropped open, and he didn't know how to react for a moment.

"So from now on, every experiment must be recorded in detail. The data is important, and the experimental process is also important."

"Once their paper is published, our experiment will also be able to be published. This is an experiment that promotes research, so it should at least be published in a Q2 journal, right?"

After Zou Jianyong finished speaking, Zhang Bo immediately realized what he meant and quickly nodded in agreement, "Yes, yes!"

"Do the experiment carefully and keep detailed records!"

"Don't tell anyone! Let's wait until the paper is officially published!"

"Yes, yes, don't worry, I won't tell anyone, I'm very tight-lipped!"

Not long after, Peng Jinquan also arrived at the laboratory.

He just strolled over to take a look.

When he entered the laboratory and met Zou Jianyong and Zhang Bo, he felt something was off, but he couldn't quite put his finger on what it was.

He leaned closer and asked, "Jianyong, how's your experiment going? You seem really busy today?"

Zou Jianyong quickly said, "Professor Peng, let's continue with the previous experiment, mainly measuring the surface layer of lanthanum nickel oxide 327, because it requires precise data and is quite troublesome."

He had great respect for Peng Jinquan.

Previously, he had been doing research with Peng Jinquan. After being promoted to researcher, he started leading his own team on projects. Peng Jinquan also helped introduce him to Zhang Minghao's team for collaboration.

Zou Jianyong felt grateful and looked at Peng Jinquan with a sense of reverence.

Peng Jinquan was puzzled by the look he was getting. He asked, "What's the good news? You seem very happy."

After he finished speaking, he looked at Zhang Bo and found that Zhang Bo also seemed very happy.

Zou Jianyong shook his head and said, "Director Peng, I can't say for now, but thank you so much."

"—?"

Peng Jinquan was taken aback, feeling even more confused. He asked, "Is it about research?"

"Correct!"

Zou Jianyong nodded vigorously and said, "However, I can't say for now. You'll know in a while."

Peng Jinquan stared at Zou Jianyong for a long time, and finally said with a smile, "About research?"

"You're just doing measurement experiments, there won't be any progress. Is it Zhang Minghao's team?"

He muttered under his breath, "Could it be that Zhang Minghao's team has developed an aluminum-based high-temperature superconducting material?"

Peng Jinquan laughed after he finished speaking, and then turned and left without caring.

What he didn't notice was that Zou Jianyong and Zhang Bo behind him exchanged a glance and looked at each other blankly.

Zhang Bo exclaimed in surprise, "Director Peng actually guessed it?"

"As expected of Director Peng!"

Zou Jianyong agreed, "I've said it before, Director Peng is very capable, and I've learned a lot from him."

"Moreover, Director Peng is a very kind person, and he even helped us find a partner to work with Zhang Minghao's team..."

"I don't know how to thank him."

……

Applied Electromagnetism Laboratory.

Zhang Minghao stayed in the theoretical research office, working with Du Wei and the other two to refine the theory.

The current theory is not perfect, and there is still relatively little certainty.

Their research focuses on 'the promoting effect of aluminum and aluminum-oxygen covalent bonds on the Zhang phenomenon or high-temperature superconductivity'.

To use a numerical analogy, the theoretical total is 100, but only one-tenth of it is certain, which is 10 points. There are still many areas that need to be filled in.

The reason why an aluminum-based high-temperature superconducting material could be calculated is that the molecular formula of the previous material coincidentally met all the correct property requirements.

Further calculations and analyses require more data to refine the theory.

Fortunately, the experimental direction was clear and data support was consistently provided.

In electromagnetic laboratories, the refinement of thin nickel/alumina layers is crucial.

The next step is to conduct tests on a special nickel/alumina thin-layer material. This material is a thin-layer material with a gradually decreasing nickel content, which can be used to create the Zhang phenomenon by applying an electric field.

Measuring during the Zhang phenomenon will yield much more crucial data. This experiment requires thorough preparation and represents the highest precision research possible within an applied electromagnetics laboratory.

Data has been continuously coming in from Zou Jianyong's team.

By putting the experimental data from both sides together, we can conduct analysis and research, and gradually improve the theory.

During the research process, Du Wei, Zhao Linwei, and Liu Lei also did a lot of work.

Because it is a one-way theoretical research, they know how to analyze data and which theories or mathematical content can help improve the theory.

Soon, another half month passed.

On this day, the research made great progress. Zhang Minghao, Du Wei, and several others worked together to further refine the theory and, through analysis and calculation, derived the molecular formula of the second aluminum-based high-temperature superconducting material.

Just as they were having a good time, Chen Shuai stood at the door and knocked.

"Teacher Chen, come in quickly!" Zhang Minghao called out hurriedly.

Chen Shuai walked in with a big smile on his face, excitedly saying, "I can hardly sit still. The journal Nature is going to publish it today. I'm so looking forward to it."

"You guys are really something, still managing to keep working!"

Zhang Minghao laughed and said, "We also figured out the key points in our research."

Chen Shuai nodded, not minding at all, and said, "I was just chatting with some students in my office when an idea suddenly popped into my head, so I came over to tell you about it."

"I'm also aware of your research, the promoting effect of aluminum and aluminum-oxygen covalent bonds, right?"

"I was thinking, could we build a theoretical model and fill in all the theories we've researched? That way, we could clarify the overall mechanism by which aluminum and aluminum-oxygen covalent bonds promote the formation of high-temperature superconductivity."

Zhang Minghao thought about it carefully, nodded, and commented, "Professor Chen, your idea is very good, but building a model requires enough data and finding definite patterns."

"We still need a lot of research to support the development of such a model."

"Another challenge is that calculating molecular formulas that conform to the rules is very complex, which means that the theoretical model that is created will be very complex in terms of expression."

Chen Shuai nodded understandingly; he had just come to share his thoughts.

Since theoretical research and computational physics are not in the same direction, he thought that combining them might yield good results.

"correct."

Zhang Minghao added, "I have good news. Professor Chen, we have calculated a new molecular formula that may be used in high-temperature superconducting materials."

Upon hearing this, Chen Shuai immediately exclaimed excitedly, "Then let's get right to the verification!"

What are the chances of success this time?

"About 80%, not as high as last time, but mostly in line with the theory, because some parts are still missing."

Chen Shuai felt that the probability was already quite high. He immediately turned to leave, wanting to share the news with Zhu Bingkun and Xue Kun. However, he stopped abruptly at the door, turned back, and asked, "How long did it take you to do the calculations and analysis?"

Zhang Minghao thought for a moment and then suggested a time, "About half an hour."

"how long?"

"Half an hour?"

Chen Shuai was stunned for a long time before asking, "You call this a complicated calculation?"

"Uh~~~"

Zhang Minghao hesitated for a moment, then organized his thoughts before speaking, "It might not be complicated for me, but for most people, it's extremely complicated..."

Chen Shuai stared wide-eyed, trying to understand, when he suddenly remembered that at the Metamaterials Conference, Zhang Minghao had solved the 'Singular Color Point Equation' created by Fang Yongsheng's team in just 20 minutes.

That was an extremely complex system of equations, and it took only twenty minutes—it's simply unimaginable.

He then looked at Du Wei, who nodded vigorously.

Now I understand!

The computational analysis is indeed extremely complex!

The good news is that Zhang Minghao can still see the difficulty of computational analysis from the perspective of an ordinary person, rather than saying from the perspective of a genius, "Calculation is very simple!"

"It was resolved in half an hour!"

"Very easy!"

"You're all adults, and you can't even understand this?!"

……

The new molecular formula is used to synthesize new materials.

Professor Yang Chunyu's team at Nanhua University of Science and Technology has received a new order.

Yang Chunyu was unaware of the news about aluminum-based high-temperature superconducting materials; in fact, he made the opposite judgment.

Because the other party requested the manufacture of thin film materials, he assumed that nothing had been detected in the bulk materials.

This is normal.

Aluminum-based high-temperature superconductivity is simply impossible.

The design and fabrication of barium aluminum oxide thin films is a promising area of ​​research. Yang Chunyu and his team worked together to complete the design, and the thin film material is already in the fabrication process.

Now, Yang Chunyu has received a new molecular formula. After examining it carefully, he found that it was very different from the previous one, with only two of the same elements, aluminum and oxygen.

"They're not even from the same family of materials. Maybe they gave up? Or maybe if we study a few more, we can find the right one?"

He shook his head, thinking, "Although that's how superconducting materials research is, it involves writing out molecular formulas, preparing materials, and then conducting tests..."

"The cost is too high!"

Yang Chunyu sighed, noting that the other party paid for the collaboration, and he didn't ask for more money.

With manpower, equipment, and materials all included, the cost of the last material was only 50,000 yuan, which was practically the cost price.

However, thin film materials cost at least 200,000 yuan, as they are a new design and research area and require a long time to prepare.

Now it's a new material, and its molecular composition is even more complex.

"At this rate, no amount of funding will be enough to build it!"

"It's simply burning money..."

Of course, it had no impact on him and his team, and the process of preparing synthetic materials was itself a research project.

As Yang Chunyu pondered, he tossed a piece of barium aluminum oxide material, about the size of a fingernail, up and down a few times before finally throwing it into the waste bin.

These are the leftover materials from the last manufacturing process; they've been determined to be useless.

They want to prepare a thin-layer material of barium aluminum oxide, which adds a new material with complex molecules, so the remaining materials can be discarded.

Just then, a researcher suddenly rushed in, shouting, "Professor Yang!"

"Big news! Big news!"

"What!" Yang Chunyu looked over immediately.

The other person stopped, panting, and then exclaimed in amazement, "Nature has published a paper by Zhang Minghao's team!"

"The paper states that their team discovered an aluminum-based high-temperature superconducting material, which they call 'special barium aluminum oxide'."

"If nothing unexpected happens, it will be the same block material we made last time!"

Yang Chunyu stood there with her mouth slightly open, her mind completely blank.

After a long while, he suddenly stomped his foot, pointed at the scrap box, and shouted, "Quick! Help! Let's look together!"

"I just threw away the last little piece of material!"

"Look for it quickly!"

"This is an aluminum-based high-temperature superconducting material..."

(End of this chapter)