In the blink of an eye, it is the Spring Festival, and it has officially entered the 12th year of Zhengde.

During the Chinese New Year, Hangzhou officials wanted to visit the governor, and by the way, they patted the horse to get closer, but who knew that the governor actually inspected the place and did not return.

Unaware, the governor is praised for his work for the country, and he is still running around on New Year's Day during the Spring Festival.

Well-informed, but he knew that Governor Wang was not doing his job, and took a few disciples to live in the Shaoxing Iron Factory.

In the steelmaking furnace of the Ming Dynasty, the furnace temperature was more than 1,300 degrees - to build Suzhou steel, it was at least 1,300 degrees or more.

It is not clear whether the furnace temperature can continue to increase, but the refractory materials of the Ming Dynasty can not bear it, and the refractory bricks made of clay and various materials will slowly melt away when they exceed 1400 degrees.

If you want to use a square furnace to make steel, the crucible must be able to withstand a high temperature of 1500 degrees, because the melting point of ordinary steel is more than 1500 degrees!

On the ninth day of the first lunar month, Wang Yuan made steel for the first time.

Because he did not know the specific method, the steelmaking materials he chose directly borrowed from the "pig iron covering method" in the steel-filling method. That is, pig iron is used to wrap the inferior steel fried by the frying method, and placed in a crucible and sent to the steelmaking furnace for heating.

This kind of play is purely crooked.

The crucible steelmaking method invented in Europe uses foam steel. And Wang Yuan's borrowing of materials from the steel filling method is also feasible, and there is not much difference.

The steel is fine, but the crucible is very problematic!

"It's out, it's out!" One craftsman shouted, and the other craftsmen came to see the surprise.

The moment the furnace was opened, Wang Yuan's face was very ugly.

Pig iron and fried steel are fused together, and there is no molten steel at all, but the crucible inside has been refined.

The crucible used by Wang Yuan was made in imitation of the material of a steelmaking furnace, and now it seems that it must be improved.

The craftsmen held back one by one, wanting to laugh but not daring to laugh, and silently returned to their posts.

How can I change it?

Wang Yuan first thought of graphite crucibles, which were commonly used in many industries in later generations.

"Zhang Mu!" Wang Yuan called.

Zhang Mu immediately stepped forward: "Humble duty!" ”

Wang Yuan instructed: "You can get me some graphite, it's so black." ”

"Yes!"

It's a ghost, Zhang Mu doesn't know what graphite is.

After some inquiry, Zhang Mu finally knew that graphite was charcoal, which belonged to the name of every day in the Wei and Jin dynasties. Zhang Mu thought to himself: "The governor is worthy of being the champion prince, and the charcoal should also be called by ancient names." ”

Zhang Muzi went to find carbon, while Wang Yuan stayed behind to improve the steelmaking furnace.

The redesigned blast tunnel, supplemented by a tall chimney, made a nondescript stove that became a laughing stock for the craftsmen to come home and chat with their wives.

After more than half a month, Zhang Mu came back with a basket of charcoal on his back and said happily: "General system, graphite has been found!" ”

Wang Yuan looked at the box of coal and said with a wry smile: "You call this thing graphite?" ”

Zhang Mu was stunned: "Find the wrong one?" It's black, and it's also called graphite. ”

"Wrong, the graphite I want is soft and slippery, this graphite is too hard. Look for it again! Wang Yuan also didn't know what graphite was called in ancient China.

Zhang Mu could only continue to inquire, and Wang Yuan also inquired about the craftsmen, but unfortunately he didn't get any clues.

Poor Zhang Mu, visiting everywhere in Shaoxing Fucheng, some people said they didn't know, and some people said that graphite was charcoal.

After a few more days, a student from Shaoxing Mansion smiled: "It's black, it's very soft, it's slippery, it's called graphite." Right? ”

"Yes, yes," Zhang Mu nodded again and again, "This minister, the governor of this thing is of great use, please help!" ”

"Follow me." The student smiled and led Zhang Mu to a shop that sold rouge gouache.

Zhang Mu was puzzled: "What are you doing here?" ”

The student didn't answer, but said to the shopkeeper, "Shopkeeper, come here for a few catties of thrushes." You want daishi, not smoke charcoal! ”

The shopkeeper was surprised: "How many catties of thrush stones?" The first time I heard about it, thrushes were bought by the pound. ”

"That's a lot of nonsense, you just sell me." Student's Road.

So, Zhang Mu took the students and the few catties of thrush stones back to the iron factory to meet Wang Yuan.

Wang Yuan picked up the thrush stone, pinched it, wrote on the ground again, and said happily: "Is this the same thing, is it actually a thrush stone?" ”

The student arched his hand and said, "There are two kinds of thrush stones, one is called daishi, also called graphite, which is dug out of the soil; One is called soot charcoal, which is made from pine wood. ”

Thrush stone, called tobacco charcoal, called daishi, called graphite.

Coal, called carbon, called coke, also known as graphite.

Who the can figure it out?

At least in Wang Yuan's house, Huang E uses tobacco charcoal, which is usually called eyebrow stone and daimo.

Wang Yuan was overjoyed and asked, "What do you call a friend?" ”

The student said: "I don't dare to be, the surname of the late student is Li, the name is musical, the word is good rhyme, and Zhengde has been studying for four years." ”

Wang Yuan smiled: "In this way, you and I still go to school in the same year." ”

Li Le said: "It is an honor to be in the same year as the Governor. ”

Wang Yuan asked: "Thrush stone is called graphite, which should be very rare, how do you know?" ”

Li Le said embarrassedly: "I like to read miscellaneous books in my later life, and I forgot where I saw them." Anyway, the daishi used for thrushes is also called graphite, also known as soft gangue. ”

In fact, "soft gangue" is the scientific name of graphite in the Ming Dynasty, which has been used as a refractory material for steelmaking and porcelain burning in some parts of China, and graphite crucibles existed in the middle of the Ming Dynasty.

Wang Yuan asked, "You are well-read and knowledgeable, would you like to do errands in the Governor's Palace?" ”

Li Le likes to read some messy books, and he feels that he is enough to take the exam, so he suddenly said with joy: "I want to do what I want, thank you for your appreciation!" ”

Wang Yuan then mixed graphite with clay to make a graphite crucible, and then loaded it with pig iron and fried steel and sent it to the furnace for heating.

After burning in the improved furnace for half a day, I took it out and looked at it, and it became a joke for craftsmen again.

This time, the graphite crucible was not burned out, but the pig iron and fried steel were also not turned into molten steel - the furnace temperature was not enough!

The stove had been improved to the extreme by Wang Yuan, at least he didn't know how to raise the temperature.

But how did the Europeans do it?

There must be some way!

Wang Yuan searched his stomach and recalled all kinds of physical and chemical knowledge, but he still didn't have any clue.

For several days, Wang Yuan locked himself in the house, and the disciples did not dare to disturb him.

The ironworks were gloating, taking the governor's steelmaking as a joke. The governor can make steel with any tinkering, so what do they need these smelters to do?

A few days passed, Wang Yuan woke up in the middle of the night, he dreamed that he was doing a chemistry experiment in high school, and was scolded by the teacher for his operation error.

"Haha," Wang Yuan patted the bed board and laughed, "The chemical reaction is too slow, you can use a catalyst." The furnace temperature is not enough to melt the frying steel, I can use flux! ”

Common fluxes, no non-calcium oxide, magnesium oxide, silicon dioxide, etc.

Magnesium oxide is not easy to find, but calcium oxide and silica are common, so you can get quicklime and glass.