In the history of science, graphene was discovered in 2004 by Geim's group at the University of Manchester in the United Kingdom, and its characteristics are, as Qin Hai said, a single-atomic layer graphite crystal film. At that time, Geim et al. used a "tape-tearing method" to obtain graphene. They cut the graphite into thin slices, then used a special tape to stick to both sides of the sheet, and when they tore it in reverse, the sheet split in two and stuck to the tape on both sides. Repeating this process, thinner and thinner graphite flakes are obtained, until finally a flake with a thickness of only one atom, that is, graphene.

After the discovery of graphene, it quickly attracted the attention of the materials science and condensed matter physics circles, and the research on the properties of graphene became the hottest topic for a while, and the corresponding preparation methods have also made breakthroughs one after another, making the application of graphene possible.

Graphene has excellent mechanical, electrical, thermal and optical properties, and can be used to construct various high-performance nanodevices. Due to its monolithic layer structure, graphene can also be used to prepare carbon-based materials with unique chemical and electrochemical properties, such as various thin film materials, aerogels, carbon foams, and more.

The vision of businessmen is the keenest, and once graphene came out, it attracted wide attention in the economic field and was known as the "universal material". Many countries are investing in the development of the graphene industry to compete for this technological peak that could generate huge benefits.

As a traverser, how could Qin Hai not know the value of graphene, but a few years ago, he was restricted by technology and his own economic strength, and he had no time to take care of this material with great potential. This time, inspired by Tranquility's ridicule, he suddenly realized that the time should be ripe for graphene research.

Tranquility saw that Qin Hai was serious. He also put away his teasing expression and said, "Qin Hai, are you sure that there really is such a material?" I remember that a few years ago, several professors at the University of Tokyo in Japan tried to make a single-layer graphite sheet, but they did not succeed, and the single-layer graphite sheet they produced could not be stored on its own. It quickly broke down. There is a thesis in the field of condensed matter physics that 'perfect two-dimensional crystal structures cannot be stable at non-absolute zero', do you want to break this law? ”

Qin Hai said with a smile: "All judgments are used to break, and this law you said is no exception. However, you don't have to worry about this matter for now, and it's better to study your iron-based superconductivity in a down-to-earth manner. You can't do it with one mind, you don't want to waste time on other things. ”

"What about me, how much do you use yourself?" Tranquility rebuked.

"No, no, my heart is on you. There is absolutely no secondary use. Qin Hai confessed with a smile.

"Phew, who knows you......" Ning Ning was very unimpressed by Qin Hai's deliberate confusion of concepts, and then retorted. But halfway through the words, she didn't say any more, about the topic of Qin Hai's single-mindedness, it seemed a little sensitive, and she still tried to avoid it as much as possible.

After an encounter in a jewelry store, the two of them lost the mind to continue shopping. Tranquility is thinking about her keynote speech tomorrow. I was in a hurry to go back to the hotel to discuss it with my mentor Chen Zongze. Qin Hai, on the other hand, was itchy because he suddenly thought of the problem of graphene. I also want to hurry back to the hotel and talk to my subordinates.

The two called a taxi back to the hotel, went upstairs together, and then went their separate ways to do their own business. Ning Jing went back to the room to get the manuscript of the paper, and went to Chen Zongze's room to make the final touches with the supervisor. Qin Hai didn't even return to the room, and went straight to the room of Nie Sen, an expert from the School of Materials.

Nie Sen was an expert recruited by Qin Hai from Pujiang. He has made some achievements in the research of nanomaterial properties and preparation methods. This time, he came to Paris to attend the annual meeting of materials with a research paper on "Preparation of TiN/Si3N4 ceramic nanocomposites by chemical vapor deposition". Several ceramic nanocomposites he studied have been put into production in Quwu Ceramics Group, and are widely used in automobile engines, electronic components, etc., and have achieved good economic benefits, which is also because of this. He was quite valued by Qin Hai.

When Qin Hai came to Nie Sen's room, Nie Sen was looking at the few academic books he had just bought on the street, and when he saw Qin Hai coming, he was a little surprised, and hurriedly got up to give up his seat, and asked with a smile: "Mr. Qin, why are you here...... Just now, everyone was still saying that you and Xiao Ning must have a candlelight dinner outside. ”

"Haha, I'm not that romantic." Qin Hai sat down on the sofa and said with a smile, "By the way, Professor Nie didn't say it, I really ignored it, the next time we come out for a meeting, we should encourage everyone to bring their families, so that you professors who have drunk foreign ink can take your wife to have a romantic time." ”

Nie Sen studied abroad in his early years, so he is one of the people who drank foreign ink. Hearing Qin Hai say this, he said with a smile: "My wife and I are old husbands and wives, what else is romantic." It's that you and Xiao Ning are still young, so they should be more romantic and romantic. We all say that Mr. Qin and Xiao Ning are really golden boys and girls, a natural pair. Xiao Ning is so talented, he has made such great achievements in superconductivity research at a young age, and Mr. Qin has ideas and economic strength, the two of you are together, whether it is life or career, it can be regarded as a perfect match. ”

Qin Hai waved his hand again and again and said with a smile: "That's it, I found that our School of Materials is really a place to train people, a university scholar like you Professor Nie, who is rigorous in his studies and does not smile, has become able to speak well when he arrives at the School of Materials, and he will make fun of juniors like me, which is really unexpected." ”

"Haha, I also found that after I arrived at the School of Materials, I became younger." Nie Sen said, "The last time I went back to Pujiang, my old colleagues said that I was very different from the past, not only did I gain weight, but my mentality was also younger, which was affected by the atmosphere of our Institute of Materials." ”

"It's better to be younger, and only when you are young can you be energetic." Qin Hai said.

The two of them laughed a few words, and Nie Sen asked, "By the way, Mr. Qin, you haven't said anything about me here, you won't just come to hang out, right?" ”

"It's okay to visit the door, isn't Professor Nie welcome me to visit the door?" Qin Hai asked.

Nie Sen said: "That's not it, Mr. Qin is willing to come to the door, I can't ask for it." You go to the School of Materials and ask, is there anyone who doesn't welcome Mr. Qin to visit the door? However, Mr. Qin is so careful, there is nothing to do, I am afraid that he will not come to the door casually, is there something related to tomorrow's meeting, you want to order us? ”

Qin Haidao: "I don't dare to give orders, but there is indeed something I want to discuss with Professor Nie, I don't know if Professor Nie has time." ”

"I have time, Mr. Qin, you can tell me anything." Nie Sen closed all the books on the table, sat down and faced Qin Hai and said.

"Professor Nie, the research you did on ceramic nanocomposites has achieved some results now, I would like to discuss with you, can you hand over the follow-up research to your assistant, and then open up a new research field." Qin Hai changed his serious expression and asked.

"Absolutely." Nie Sen said without hesitation. What he's working on is actually quite valuable, and if done well, he can produce a few very good papers, and he can also produce some profitable patents. However, when he heard Qin Hai tell him to give up, he agreed without saying a word, and with his experience, he knew that since Qin Hai made such a request, there must be a more important task to be entrusted to him, and this task must be able to achieve greater achievements.

"Mr. Qin, if you have anything, just say it directly, as long as I can do it, there is no second word." Nie Sen said.

Qin Haidao: "I have an idea, I'm not sure if it can be realized, I want to find an expert with extremely solid theoretical and practical skills to try it, I don't know if Professor Nie is interested." The idea is this......"

As he spoke, he gave an introduction to his thoughts on graphene. Of course, he didn't say it with great certainty, but only said that he had this kind of conjecture, and based on the experience of his predecessors, he should be able to do it. In terms of specific graphene preparation methods, he also put forward some ideas, including the tape tearing method used by Geim and others, as well as the crystal surface epitaxial growth method and chemical vapor deposition method invented by later scientists.

In the process of Qin Hai's narration, Nie Sen was silent, burying his head in the notebook and making notes, and from time to time he was still writing some questions that he thought of in a flash of inspiration next to the records. The preparation methods of these materials mentioned by Qin Hai are all very familiar to Nie Sen, but he has never thought of using them in the preparation of graphite materials. Qin Hai explained the problem very clearly, and Nie Sen also heard it very clearly, he faintly felt that Qin Hai's idea was very reasonable, and if he continued to do it along this line, the single-layer atomic graphene material that Qin Hai said could probably be manufactured.

As for the properties of this material, Nie Sen couldn't guess for a while, but he knew that as long as there were samples of graphene, testing the properties was just some routine operations.

This is Qin Hai's definition of graphene, and Nie Sen certainly knows what this means. If this material can be prepared, it means that a law of condensed matter physics will be overturned, which is an epoch-making discovery. Such a discovery can occupy a place in top international academic journals such as Science or Nature, and even winning the Nobel Prize for this is not an extravagant expectation.

Such a big pie, Qin Hai put it in front of him, how could this not make Nie Sen feel excited. (To be continued......)