Among the many technical problems restricting lithium-sulfur battery technology, the most difficult to solve may be the shuttle effect.

The so-called shuttle effect refers to the polysulfide (Li2Sx) intermediate produced by the cathode during the charging and discharging process, which will dissolve into the electrolyte and diffuse to the negative electrode through the separator, and finally come into direct contact with the lithium metal of the negative electrode.

At the beginning, in order to take the lead in conquering lithium-sulfur battery technology and completing the patent layout ahead of ExxonMobil, Lu Zhou, who shouldered the future of China's new energy industry, launched a battle with Professor Stanley, a big bull in the field of lithium batteries, on this project.

At that time, Professor Stanley, with the support of ExxonMobil, also used an extremely disgraceful means to bribe an assistant of his Sarot Institute and steal the cage-like carbon molecular model he handed over to Professor Sarot to study.

But thanks to this oolong.

Professor Stanley not only went further and further on the road of "mistakes", but also completed the systematic task of [analyzing carbon nanospheres under modified PDMS thin films] for Lu Zhou, which helped him upgrade the grade of materials science to LV4, and also indirectly helped him hit the research bottleneck of a wave of Nobel Prize-level achievements......

It's a shame to say that after so many years, Lu Zhou hasn't called this generous old professor with a thank you call, and he can't help it.

The black powder contained in the test tube in his hand at this moment was the cage-shaped carbon molecule that Professor Stanley had studied, that is, the carbon nanospheres found on the wreckage No. 1.

Yang Xu: "This is ......"

"A cage-like carbon molecule that carries oxygen molecules, although I prefer to call them carbon nanospheres."

Handing the test tube into Yang Xu's hands, Lu Zhou continued, "Don't forget that in addition to the separator between the gas exchange chamber and the outside world, there is also a layer of modified PDMS film on our lithium anode material, which is mixed in when the modified PDMS film is formed, and when the concentration difference of oxygen molecules on both sides of the film reaches a certain value, they are like little bees to carry oxygen molecules from one side to the other." ”

In short, it is to add two insurances to the oxygen and nitrogen separation system, the first insurance is the selective passage of oxygen molecules through the membrane, that is, the mixture of those organic matter listed on the white board by Lu Zhou, and the effect is to create a relatively pure oxygen environment with an oxygen content of up to 98% for the gas exchange chamber!

As for the second insurance, it is the modified PDMS film on the lithium anode material itself!

Only after the addition of hollow carbon balls will the modified PDMS film on the surface of the lithium anode carry oxygen molecules from the high-purity oxygen to the surface of the lithium anode material.

“…… We can even indirectly control the performance of the battery by modifying the number of carbon nanospheres on the PDMS film to control the rate of the entire lithium oxidation reaction. ”

Listening to Lu Zhou's description, Yang Xu's eyes were full of shock.

Does this thing really work?

I would love to ask that, but as a researcher, it would be a shame to ask such a stupid question when the samples were already in his hands.

Without any hesitation, he took the test tube to the side of an experimental device.

There are battery molds and a shielding gas operating box for assembling battery abrasives and testing.

It's easy to test Lu Zhou's theory, and you don't even need a complete model of a lithium-air battery.

He only needs to make a lithium metal sheet covered with a modified PDMS material mixed with this carbon nanosphere, and then expose it to a series of environments such as air and pure oxygen, pure carbon dioxide, pure nitrogen, etc., to easily know whether it has the property of making oxygen permeable, and whether it only allows oxygen to permeate.

After complicated preparation and patient waiting, the results of the experiment finally came out under everyone's eagerness.

In the air environment, the reaction of the sample is not obvious, and there is a very small amount of oxide on the surface, which can be determined to be lithium oxide!

In a series of environments such as nitrogen, carbon dioxide, etc., the sample does not react at all!

As for in a pure oxygen environment......

As Lu Zhou said, the entire surface of the lithium anode has undergone amazing changes!

Looking at Yang Xu, who no longer knew what to do and expression on his face to express the shock in his heart, Lu Zhou smiled and continued in a relaxed tone, "If you observe the entire process of reaction under microscopic conditions, your expression will be even more surprised. ”

Yang Xu swallowed his saliva and said with difficulty: "...... This experiment ...... You did it a long time ago? ”

Lu Zhou: "As I said, I did this experiment as early as when I was teaching at Princeton, but it has never been published. ”

Of course, there are still many differences between the current carbon nanosphere and the original version made by Professor Stanley.

Especially in the details, Lu Zhou has adjusted the position of several large π bonds on the surface through computational chemistry, so that its handling capacity is more obvious, and the requirements for oxygen purity are also slightly reduced.

However, the methods for preparing this kind of carbon nanospheres are all different, and the end is the same.

"It's incredible......"

"It's amazing how you can transport oxygen molecules through polymer materials!"

Looking at Yang Xu, who was amazed, Lu Zhou said with some nostalgia.

"It's quite magical, until now I have been thinking about the mechanism of the cause of this magical transportation process, and even made two sets of theories that can be explained, but I have never been able to find evidence to prove which one is right."

Yang Xu: "You...... How? ”

As soon as he heard this question, Lu Zhou's expression suddenly became a little embarrassed, and he said with a smile.

"That's a long story, but thanks to the help of an old friend, I solved the most critical problem of the synthesis of this kind of cage carbon molecule, and then I made a little improvement on the basis of his research and modified a few large π bonds."

Of course, the most important thing is Wreckage One......

If this material is being launched, he is afraid that just finding a hollow carbon ball that can be highly compatible with oxygen molecules will be enough for him to do.

Yang Xu asked, "Is there a problem with the patent?" ”

Lu Zhou immediately replied: "No problem, this old friend of mine sold it to me very generously at a very cheap price. ”

This was a long time ago.

Not long after the lithium-sulfur battery came out, the patents in ExxonMobil's hands have become waste paper, not to mention that the lithium-air battery has not yet seen a shadow, even Professor Stanley himself does not know that what he has researched is used in the lithium-air battery, so Star Technology did not spend much money to buy the patent.

Of course, when I bought it, I didn't buy it in the name of Star Technology and him.

It doesn't cost much, but it's a little complicated.

Yang Xu, who didn't know the inside story, sighed with emotion and said, "Your old friend is really a good person. ”

Lu Zhou also smiled heartily.

"yes, I think he's a good guy too."

……

The technology of selective transmission of oxygen molecules through the membrane has been overcome, coupled with the key carbon nanospheres, and there is basically no suspense about the lighting of the entire lithium-air battery.

After calling Chen Yushan and leaving the patent layout to her to worry about, Lu Zhou left the Jinling Institute for Advanced Study.

Speaking of which, it was still morning when he came, but when he left, he was wearing the stars and the moon.

It's okay to use a computer to do a simulation in the front, but it's just a matter of putting the ready-made model on the computer and running it again. It took a lot of time to inspect the transportation of oxygen molecules by carbon nanospheres, especially the production of lithium metal sheets coated with modified PDMS films, which took a long time.

Sitting in Wang Peng's car, Lu Zhou, who had not closed his eyes for more than 30 hours, yawned and was about to squint for a while, but at this moment, he suddenly received a call from Director Li.

As soon as the phone was connected, he didn't even have time to say "Hey" when a fiery voice came from the other side.

"I've read that report of yours! Is what is written above true? Are you sure? That carbon-" Suddenly realizing that this thing was inconvenient to say on the phone, Director Li immediately stopped talking, gritted his teeth and said, "You wait, I'll come to your house to talk to you." ”

Lu Zhou, who yawned and didn't understand what he was talking about, asked confusedly.

"You're coming to me wherever you are."

"Go to Beijing! Come by plane! ”

Lu Zhou: "......?" ”

Before he could react, the phone hung up with a beep.