Across North America, samples sent from Silicon Valley's Sarot lab were finally sent to Frick's chemistry lab.

After signing for the package, Lu Zhou came to the rented laboratory with the samples.

Recently, he learned that in addition to applying for the university's scientific research fund, Frick Chemical Laboratory not only provides paid third-party testing services, but also allows laboratories to be rented for a fee, and the machine time of the instruments can also be purchased.

The fees for third-party testing services are generally relatively expensive, often tens of thousands or even hundreds of thousands of dollars, but if you rent an instrument for experiments, the price is within an acceptable range.

After completing the procedures for renting the instrument, Lu Zhou made a phone call with Professor Chirick and borrowed a doctoral student from him as an assistant.

Just like last time, this time it's Connie who came.

This doctor, who is the same as a football player, is much stronger than when I saw him last year.

Looking at Connie with a smile on his face, Lu Zhou's expression was a little strange.

"Have you switched to studying biology?"

"No," Connie paused slightly, "why do you ask?" ”

"It's nothing...... Lu Zhou shook his head, "Forget about it, when I didn't say anything." ”

I always feel that if his physique continues to swell, he has the potential to develop into the Hulk.

But when I say it, it's too hurtful.

“…… Actually, I know what you're trying to say," Connie sighed, scratching his head in annoyance, "It's because I'm so big, and Professor Chirick always doesn't let me touch those experimental instruments, for fear that I'll break them." ”

"This is too ......" Looking at Connie who was depressed, Lu Zhou didn't know how to comfort him, "Anyway, I won't do this to you." ”

If you want to talk about the block, Professor Creech is not small, and he is at least a small forward position on the basketball court.

Wiping his nose, Connie was moved, "Really? What do you need me to do? ”

Lu Zhou glanced at the scanning electron microscope in the laboratory with some subtlety, and finally couldn't put his mind at ease: "Anyway...... If you want to help me process the sample, you probably will. ”

Connie grinned, "Wrap it up on me!" ”

After taking out more than 30 samples sealed in small glass jars, Lu Zhou instructed Connie to pay some attention to them, and carefully took out a small amount of black powder from the glass jar marked with sample No. 1, mixed it with ionized water and shook it well.

The samples were processed prior to shipment, and the powders were laboratory pure, eliminating the need for further filtration, except for a small amount of impurities that could not be filtered.

However, it is definitely not possible to just stuff the sample into it for observation, and the agglomeration phenomenon of the hollow carbon ball itself will make the observation effect worse.

With Connie's assistance, Lu Zhou took the trouble to ultrasonic disperse each sample, and then carefully took samples with a rubber tip dropper and dropped all the sample samples on the copper sheet in turn.

"That's it!"

Finally processed all the samples, Lu Zhou, who breathed a sigh of relief, put down the last piece of copper, stretched his waist, and moved his somewhat stiff neck.

Since the carbon material itself is a conductive material, it is relatively simple to deal with, and it is considered complete at this point. In the case of insulator materials, the sample must also be steamed gold.

Doesn't that sound expensive?

Actually, it's not that expensive.

At least compared to other precious metals and organic reagents consumed in the lab, gold is a relatively inexpensive consumable. In the case of the samples sent by Sarote, the average cost per milligram was more than $100.

So there is a reason for Lu Zhou to be so careful, after all, he spends his own money on experiments.

Luckily, Connie, who worked as an assistant on the sidelines, lived up to his hopes and didn't mess up a single sample. Putting down the last piece of copper, Connie looked at Lu Zhou and asked.

"I'm OK here, what are we going to do next?"

After thinking about it, Lu Zhou said, "Let's scan it with a scanning electron microscope first." ”

The rest of the work was very simple, Lu Zhou operated the instrument step by step, glued the copper sheet containing the sample to the conductive tape of the sample holder, and then sent the whole thing into the sample chamber.

Confirming that the vacuum pressure in the sample chamber was kept at a stable value, Lu Zhou muttered to himself while skillfully inputting various parameters.

"Transmit current at 10μA, working distance at 8mm, scan mode at Sei......"

Through the two joysticks on the sample controller, Lu Zhou carefully moved the position of the sample stage, and Connie, who was standing in front of the computer, adjusted the diaphragm and acceleration voltage according to his requirements.

Once you've done that, all the work is in place.

Finally, it was time to reap the fruits of victory.

Compared with the previous tedious and complicated operations, this process is much easier and more enjoyable.

By adjusting the control resolution by the computer, adjusting the acceleration voltage and working distance, and switching the detector, Lu Zhou can easily collect any data he wants.

Looking at the instruments at work, Connie, who was operating the computer, couldn't help but sigh.

"It's so much easier to use than a regular electron microscope."

"That's a must," Lu Zhou smiled and said, "If the experiment goes well, I can give it to you when there is no end of time left." ”

Connie exclaimed, "Really? Thank you so much! ”

Although his boss also has SEM at his disposal, it is clear that Professor Chirick does not waste time on his students' doctoral dissertations. After all, there are so many students that he can't manage them.

At this moment, Lu Zhou, who was standing in front of him, was like an angel, oh no, God.

Lu Zhou smiled and said indifferently: "Of course it's true, as long as you do what I say, I will definitely not let you work in vain." ”

After getting Lu Zhou's promise, Connie became noticeably more motivated.

As the resolution gradually scales up, the microstructure of the hollow carbon sphere is unreservedly presented in front of the two of them at the nm scale.

Looking at the pictures that were swept out, Lu Zhou's heart suddenly moved.

He remembered something and immediately spoke.

"Connie, help me screen out hollow carbon nanospheres with a specific surface area in the range of [2326m2g-1, 3762m2g-1] and a diameter in the range of [60nm-70nm] from these samples!"

"Okay," without hesitation, Connie immediately began to operate the computer, and after comparing the data, he quickly reported, "...... Report professor, samples 11, 14, 15, 23 all meet your requirements, do you have any instructions? ”

Taking down the corresponding glass jar from the sample price, Lu Zhou stared at the black powder in the glass jar and said with his back to Connie.

"I need you to do something right now."

Connie said seriously, "You just command. ”

"Help me borrow a battery tester and a set of button battery molds," Lu Zhou continued, looking around the lab, "as well as some samples of elemental sulfur." ”

"I'm going to do something big."