Initial testing of the first batch of 'crystalline erbium zirconate' materials took almost a week and the results were very encouraging.

Whether it is from the shielding rate of various radiations, or from the grain boundary breakage rate and grain boundary reconstruction speed, the performance of this new material is quite excellent.

Compared with the nuclear waste storage ceramics used in China in the past, the performance of the 'crystalline erbium zirconate' protective material has been improved by nearly 50%.

The increase in service life is even more exaggerated.

Today's nuclear waste storage ceramics or other materials, even if there is no external environmental interference, in the face of nuclear waste with strong nuclear radiation, most of the service life is hundreds or thousands of years.

After this time, the storage container will be damaged or cracked due to the influence of nuclear radiation.

However, the service life of the new 'crystalline erbium zirconate' material, judging by the data obtained after preliminary testing, is conservatively estimated to be more than 10,000 years.

This result even alarmed Academician Peng Hongxi, the 'consultant' of the Nuclear Energy Research Institute, and after hearing the news, the old man personally rushed over by high-speed train from the capital.

Seeing Peng Hongxi, Xu Chuan realized that the importance of this new type of nuclear protective material he made seemed to be far greater than his previous estimates.

Previously, his attention had been on the follow-up core technology, and he did not attach much importance to the 'crystalline erbium zirconate' material.

After all, the protective materials of the solid-state ceramic series are not very widely used, it can isolate radiation, but it requires a certain thickness, which also limits some uses.

Except for the limited use of nuclear engineering construction and storage of nuclear waste, it is basically difficult to apply it in other fields.

Among the protective materials, there are not many materials that can achieve the same shielding effect as the 'crystalline erbium zirconate' material, but the service life is less.

A thousand years of service life and 10,000 years of service life are actually not much different for human beings.

】

In addition, in later generations, nuclear waste has been successfully turned into treasure and does not need to be stored for a long time, so the importance of materials stored in nuclear waste is far less important in his eyes.

But he forgot that it was only 2018, an era in which nuclear waste was a major headache for countries.

Whether it is preservation or disposal, it is the most difficult of the difficulties.

.......

In the 'Modu Institute of Nuclear Research, Academy of Sciences', Peng Hongxi personally started to conduct radiation detection on a piece of 'crystalline erbium zirconate' material.

After getting the test results, the old man looked at the young man in front of him and sighed: "Amazing, this is the atomic cycle theory you mentioned earlier." ”

If he remembers correctly, it will take less than three months since the R&D team was assembled.

In more than two months, a new type of material with better performance than traditional countermeasure materials has been developed, which can be said to be a fantasy.

What surprised him even more was that Xu Chuan had never done any relevant material experiments before.

This theory of the 'atomic cycle' was conceived by him meditating in his mind.

That's the scariest part.

Material experiments have always been one of the most variable experiments.

There are endless proportions, and a slightly worse result can be said to be completely different.

Sometimes, even if the ratio is only 0.01, the new material may be scrap.

The research and development of a new material is not so easy.

Which of today's large-scale material R&D manufacturers does not have decades of accumulation? Which one of the databases doesn't have a huge pile of material data?

Just by speculating in your head, you can come up with a new type of radiation-resistant material.

This simply broke all his previous knowledge of materials research.

Peng Hongxi couldn't help but want to cut Xu Chuan's brain and take a look to see if there was a super quantum computer inside.

This kind of thing that can not be done by human beings, he actually did it.

Maybe there is some luck in this, but material research and development is a matter of luck.

If you're lucky, you can get it all in one match.

Bad luck, I couldn't find the right synthesis route after thousands of experiments.

......

On the other side, hearing Peng Hongxi's praise, Xu Chuan smiled and said, "This is just the basic application of the atomic cycle theory, and its flaws are still very big.

"For example, it hardens after final forming, and solid-state materials cannot adapt to many nuclear protection needs. There are also low shielding rates for neutron radiation and Gamma radiation. ”

Peng Hongxi shook his head and said, "Your requirements are too high. Neutron radiation and Gamma radiation are the most penetrating of all radiation types, which is the biggest problem in radiation protection worldwide. ”

"This new material is already excellent. If it is used for ordinary nuclear waste storage, it is more than enough based on the current test results. The atomic cycle, grain boundary reconstruction, allows it to preserve nuclear waste for tens of thousands of years. ”

Xu Chuan smiled and said, "Let's go, I'll take you to see my recent new research - lead-free nanocomposite reconstructed protective material, in my opinion, it is better than the 'crystalline erbium zirconate' material, which is used to make protective clothing."

Hearing this, Peng Hongxi showed a trace of surprise on his face, and asked with some surprise: "Protective clothing?" Lead-free? ”

Xu Chuan nodded and said, "Yes, lead-free, the atomic cycle theory does not rely on the high density of lead metal to shield. ”

Peng Hongxi said with interest: "There is a finished product?" ”

Nuclear radiation protective clothing is an indispensable nuclear, biological and chemical rescue equipment. It is applied to on-the-spot treatment and rescue workers in the natural environment of nuclear radiation risk, nuclear aerosol pollution, biochemical environmental pollution and other risks.

Usually people have the impression that nuclear radiation protection materials are often inseparable from heavy lead.

For example, the protective doors used in hospital X-ray rooms are made of lead.

Or as far as the current nuclear protective materials are concerned, if they are used for protective clothing worn by scientific researchers or staff, it can be said that they basically contain lead.

Needless to say, lead can block most of the radiation, and the shielding performance is excellent.

But in fact, the disadvantages are also obvious, first of all, heavy, the density of lead is very high, and the protective clothing doped with lead material must be quite heavy.

After all, it is used in the face of nuclear radiation, and too little lead doping does not play a protective role.

But there is too much lead, and the weight is certain.

A protective suit, such as a military-grade radiation suit, weighs more than fifteen or sixteen kilograms.

Secondly, lead is toxic, and the biological toxicity of lead is not friendly to the environment.

Especially in the environment with high concentrations of nuclear radiation, a lead protective clothing does not work for a long time, and after being contaminated, it cannot be reused and can only be discarded.

Therefore, the application range of lead protective clothing is greatly limited.

But for now, there is nothing too good about it other than lead garments.

Protection against nuclear radiation has always been a major problem.

Lead-free nuclear radiation protective clothing, which aroused his great interest.

......

With Peng Hongxi with him, Xu Chuan walked towards his laboratory, responding as he went.

"There is no complete protective clothing yet, the latest finished product was only made yesterday, and there is only a small piece of fabric, which has not been tested, and the specific results will take some time."

"What kind of material is used? What about the size, thickness, and weight? Peng Hongxi asked quickly.

Xu Chuan: "The size is about 50 * 50 centimeters, the thickness is 1.3 centimeters, and the weight is 1,073 grams. ”

Peng Hongxi calculated and said: "0.2 square meters, a little more than two catties, if you use five feet of fabric to sew according to a protective suit, and then consider helmets, gloves and some other items, the total weight is about eight to ten catties." ”

"Compared with the previous lead protective clothing of thirty pounds, you are several times lighter. It would be terrible if the radiation shielding effect could meet the standards of lead protective clothing. ”

Xu Chuan smiled and said, "I'll know when I finish the test." ”

For this new lead-free nanocomposite reconstructed nuclear protective material, he knows very well that the specific protective performance must be better than lead-doped protective clothing, otherwise how would he use this technology to solve the problem of nuclear waste in his previous life.

Nuclear energy β radiation energy accumulation and conversion technology, but it is a technology that has won the Nobel Prize.

A Nobel Prize-level achievement, or the most important physics prize among the natural science awards, is naturally staggering in value and weight.

......

With Peng Hongxi, the two came all the way to the laboratory.

Xu Chuan opened a material preservation box, took out a folded piece of cloth-like material from it, and handed it to the old man who followed him.

Peng Hongxi took the material and started it, and he was surprised by the soft feel of this material.

"It's incredible, this level of softness, you don't say it's the fabric I think is used to make clothes, it's too soft."

Peng Hongxi touched the protective material in his hand and couldn't help but marvel.

It is important to know that nuclear protective materials are generally mixed with various materials such as lead, silver, boron, etc., after all, only these materials can absorb or shield rays.

But correspondingly, the nature of these materials will also cause the nuclear protective clothing to become bulky, rough and so on.

There's no way around it.

But the protective material in front of him completely subverted his previous cognition.

If you put aside the thickness, it's like a piece of cloth, and it can even be folded like a garment, which is incredible.

Xu Chuan smiled and said, "What you always said is too exaggerated, compared with the traditional nuclear protective clothing material, it is indeed a lot softer, but if it is the same as the fabric, it still can't be compared." ”

Peng Hongxi sighed and shook his head, and said, "How did you achieve subversive results?" What is it made of? ”

"The raw materials are mainly gadolinium oxide, boron carbide, high-density polyethylene, and fluorozirconium-based salts, and the high endothermic absorption section of gadolinium oxide and high neutron absorption cross-section, combined with boron and zirconium to shield various radiation as the basic principle."

"The surface modification of gadolinium oxide with coupling agent improves its interfacial compatibility and dispersion inside the matrix, so that the radioactive particles can interact more fully with the functional components inside the material and thus decay rapidly......"

"Theoretically, it has the ability to shield most rays, and it has good neutron radiation shielding and Gamma ray shielding performance."

Xu Chuan has nothing to hide about the principle and manufacturing process of this new type of protective material.

The old man in front of him was completely trustworthy.

After listening to Xu Chuan's explanation, Peng Hongxi's slightly cloudy eyes moved, and after thinking for a while, he said, "What a wonderful idea." ”

"The neutrons are moderated and absorbed by the gadolinium-hydrogenium-boron system, and the interaction characteristics of light and heavy nuclei with neutrons and the high-thermal neutron absorption cross-section characteristics of gadolinium and boron are used to make the high-energy incident neutrons collide inelastically with gadolinium, and elastically collide with hydrogen, carbon, and oxygen until they become thermal neutrons, and finally are absorbed by gadolinium and boron."

"The atomic cycle technology can use radiant energy to repair the damaged particles produced after the collision to a certain extent, so that they can be recycled, which greatly improves its life and protective performance."

"It's a perfect line of thought."

Xu Chuan smiled and nodded, this line of thought is not only the core of nuclear protection materials.

It is also the core of nuclear energy β radiant energy gathering and conversion technology.

The special semiconductor material created by this technology can collect scattered radiation from nuclear waste and convert it into electricity, turning waste into treasure.

"By the way, I heard that you've been working on lithium batteries recently?"

After groping for the new protective materials in his hand, Peng Hongxi solemnly handed it back to Xu Chuan and asked curiously.

Xu Chuan nodded and said with a smile: "It's just a small fight." ”

It is no secret that he acquired the Chuanhai Materials Research Institute, and it is normal for Peng Hongxi to know this news.

"What kind of stuff do you study?" Peng Hongxi asked.

After a pause, he added: "Don't get me wrong, I don't want to probe your secrets, and it's nothing if it's inconvenient to say." ”

Xu Chuan waved his hand and said with a smile: "What is confidential and unclassified, mainly in terms of electrolyte and artificial SEI membrane." ”

"Electrolyte and artificial SEI film, you're going for the lithium dendrite. Are you scattered and busy? ”

Peng Hongxi muttered a sentence and looked at Xu Chuan, this young man's ambition is really not small.

The problem of lithium dendrites has plagued the industry for decades.

There are countless research institutes, laboratories, and universities around the world that study this issue, but so far there has not been much progress.

Mathematics, is there really so much magic?

First, a nuclear radiation protection material was calculated, and then there was the lithium dendrite problem.

Although he was not sure if the lithium dendrite problem could be solved, after seeing some of the results in this nuclear energy laboratory today, he had an inexplicable confidence in the young man in front of him.

As if the field in which he intervenes, the problem will not be a problem.

Xu Chuan smiled and said, "Actually, it's okay over there, I asked my mentor for someone, and my senior brother is in charge of managing the research institute over there." ”

"I'm just providing some theoretical approaches."

"It's good to be young! Energetic. ”

Peng Hongxi didn't ask any more and sighed.

Xu Chuan smiled: "Academician Peng, you are still young. ”

Peng Hongxi shook his head with a smile and said with concern: "If you encounter any problems, you can come to me, don't support me alone." ”

"I heard that some time ago, you stayed up in the laboratory for several days in a row, and you missed the Nobel Prize call."

"You are still young, you need to pay attention to your body, you don't need to fight so hard, there is still a long way to go........."

......