The answer given by the Tsinghua University professor will undoubtedly surprise everyone.
After all, technological progress is a real benefit that everyone can enjoy.
Just like from the original tile machines to today's smart phones, everyone has enjoyed the convenience brought by smart phones, as well as the changes in entertainment methods, coupled with various other very simple functions, allowing modern people to enjoy a life experience that people could not imagine decades ago even without leaving home.
Now, this kind of innovation in battery technology can effectively solve various pain points that people have encountered in their lives in the past.
The poor battery life of mobile phones is indeed a pain point!
For a time, in the comment area below this answer, netizens from all walks of life also fully expressed their thoughts.
[You are so right! Nowadays, the demand for battery life of various electronic products I use is increasing day by day. Mobile phones are basically charged twice a day. The battery life mentioned above is advertised, but I have never seen one that can achieve it. I urgently need this kind of mobile phone that can be charged every three days.]
[My requirements are not that high. I guarantee that no matter how the mobile phone is made, it can last for 23 hours in battery life. The remaining hour can be used for charging. The remaining power can be used to improve other functions. For example, I can change the screen to one with higher brightness and stronger refresh rate. Anyway, there is a lot of power, and those manufacturers do not need to compromise for battery life. They can replace it with more awesome functions.]
[Holy crap, is it true? My hometown is in the northernmost part of the country. It can be said that every time I go home during the New Year, my mobile phone will have problems. Can this battery really run at low temperatures?]
[Just be at ease. Since people dare to promote it like this, then there is basically no big problem at 50 degrees below zero. The solid electrolyte itself has this function, because at extremely low temperatures, the liquid electrolyte may solidify, but the solid electrolyte itself is solid, so why does it need to solidify?]
[This means that pure electric vehicles can be used with confidence in the future? Is the 2,000-kilometer battery life really a joke? Also, is it possible that pure electric vehicles will be able to travel across the country in the future? Can we go to Mohe and Xinjiang? Can it withstand low temperature environments?]
[Of course, you can just wait and see. Those car companies have such awesome batteries, but they still have to work hard to build them.]
[Okay, okay, I originally planned to buy a pure electric car in the past few years, but it seems that I can wait a little longer now.]
[When can it be used? Urgent! Urgent! I am the King of Urgency!]
[There should be corresponding products within a year at most, but you also know that now that new technology has just been born, the cost will definitely not be low. It is estimated that the price of the first batch of products will be relatively high. The price will only come down when the low marginal cost goes down. Of course, if you are a rich man, pretend I didn't say that.]
[No matter what, when the product comes out, I will bite the bullet and give it a try.]
[...]
A bunch of netizens are imagining the convenience that lithium-sulfur solid-state batteries can bring to them in the future.
Compared with the original high-temperature superconductors, this kind of discussion is more heated.
After all, the conditions for the use of high-temperature superconductors still have to be provided by some specialized equipment, institutions, etc. There is generally no need to use high-temperature superconductors in the living environment of ordinary people.
But the battery is different. Everyone can use batteries and everyone knows what they are used for.
Of course, in addition to this type of netizens, there are quite a few netizens discussing things related to Xiao Yi.
[It's outrageous. How can Scholar Xiao be so proficient in materials? He can actually make lithium-sulfur solid-state batteries. Is there anything else he doesn't know how to do?]
[Just kidding, people have even made high-temperature superconductors before, why do they still have to worry about a battery?]
[It's not that I look down on the battery so much, and this is a lithium-sulfur solid-state battery, not a simple lithium-sulfur battery, or a solid-state battery. These are two technologies, which represent solutions to the two technologies of solid electrolyte and sulfur electrode respectively. In addition, A new nanoporous carbon material developed by Xiao Yi has solved the problem of lithium dendrites. This material alone is worth an unknown amount. I think the joint breakthrough of the three materials is not much different from the difficulty of research on high-temperature superconductors.]
[Indeed, it is difficult to solve just one of the materials. This time, we solved three materials directly! The difficulty here is completely unimaginable.]
[Speaking of which, I thought Scholar Xiao would not submit papers to foreign journals in the future. This time, I actually submitted them to JACS and ACSnano. However, it is interesting that I did not submit papers to nature. It seems that the nature department will have no chance to get Scholar Xiao's papers in the future.]
[This is not Scholar Xiao himself who submitted it to these two journals. Xiao Yi is the corresponding author of these three papers. The first and second authors are from his laboratory. I checked and found that among the authors, Tang Chunming is named Assistant Researcher, and the other three are all at the postdoctoral level. I really don't believe how much the four of them have contributed to this project. I can only say that this is the benefit of working on the project with Scholar Xiao.]
[Damn it, three top articles in one section, this is too much of a benefit, right? 8 As I said, I will apply for Science Island Laboratory now. What if Scholar Xiao comes to me for a project?]
[Don't think about it, Science Island Laboratory is not recruiting people right now, otherwise who wouldn't want to go?]
[Damn, I can only dream of having such a good boss!]
[...]
Finally, a bunch of envious comments for Tang Chunming and Liu Xiaodong were left in the comment area.
Of course, in addition to this answer, there are other highly praised answers, which also interpret these news from various angles.
For example, in a national sense: [Let me just say one thing, from now on, the battery market in this world belongs to us!]
And from an academic perspective: [Scholar Xiao's three material breakthroughs fully demonstrate the huge role of his previous electron-interface reaction migration model, especially in the material technology of solid electrolytes. It can be said that solid electrolytes are the most difficult to study among these three materials, and the electron-interface reaction migration model can be said to be absolutely indispensable.]
Of course, there are also those who are crazy: [Damn it, our research group is researching lithium-sulfur batteries. Now it's better. The original three years of work is now completely ruined! All balls are spicy! All balls are spicy!]
All in all, everyone looks at the problem from a different perspective, so the answers are also different.
But what everyone knows is that this incident is definitely a good thing for China.
"Hello, Professor Xiao Yi, I am Argyle Bentliff, the president of ExxonMobil. First of all, I would like to congratulate you on behalf of ExxonMobil. Battery technology is a very important and critical technology for us humans. I have always respected every scientist who has made great contributions to battery technology, such as Stanley Professor Whittingham, who was awarded Nobel Prize in Chemistry for developing lithium-ion batteries. Professor Whittingham himself has always been a special consultant to our ExxonMobil."
"So I am also here to extend an invitation to you, hoping that you can become our special adviser. Of course, if you are willing to become our chief scientist, I also extend a warm welcome to you on behalf of ExxonMobil and Rockefeller family."
Although the tone on the phone seemed to be welcoming, it actually sounded like charity, which made Xiao Yi, who was on the phone at this time, twitch his lips.
Then he asked, "Mr. Bentliff, do you always like to talk like this?"
The other party asked on the phone, "What do you mean?"
Xiao Yi suddenly laughed, and then said, "Okay, let's talk about this later. Mr. Bentliff, please tell me the reason for your call first."
"It's very simple. We want to acquire your three battery patented technologies at a price of US$3 billion. I think this price is a very fair deal. At the same time, you can also gain our ExxonMobil friendship. Please consider it carefully."
Xiao Yi shook his head.
Obviously, the CEO of Exxon Mobil has lost respect for ordinary people because he always holds a high position.
Perhaps, people still think that the so-called friendship between ExxonMobil is something very precious.
Then, he said, "Mr. Bentliff, as a mathematician, I sincerely want to give you a good suggestion. Please study mathematics carefully, otherwise you will not be able to calculate a price of 3 billion."
"Of course, whether it's an acquisition or patent licensing cooperation, it doesn't exist. Well, that's it for now. Goodbye."
Then, regardless of what the other party said next, Xiao Yi hung up the phone.
The value of lithium-sulfur solid-state battery patents cannot be measured by US$3 billion.
It is even more impossible for Xiao Yi to simply sell this patent.
After all, he also wants this patent to become a long-term source of funding for Science Island Laboratory in the future.
As for its specific price, we have to consider the size of the battery market. According to the current battery market exceeding 100 billion, close to 200 billion US dollars, these three patents may be worth 10 billion US dollars in total.
Of course, considering the risk that others may be able to develop alternative patents in the future, this value still needs to drop.
However, the specific extent of this possibility remains to be determined.
"The next question is how to authorize it later and at what price."
How to authorize is a key issue.
First of all, it is impossible to license it to only one company, otherwise it will easily lead to monopoly.
Although major battery companies now have giants, such as Linde Era and Diaby, two super giants that together account for half of the country, there are also many other companies.
Only competition can lead to development.
If it is monopolized, it will affect the social structure, especially batteries, a technology that can even directly affect people's livelihood. Of course, this technology also has strategic significance. After all, military drones are now popular on the battlefield. This technology alone can greatly enhance the tactical status of drones by improving the endurance of military drones.
However, what makes Xiao Yi a little curious is that I haven't called him yet, Diaby and Linde Era, two huge companies in the battery field, but other smaller companies have already called him.
And his reply to these small companies is: It depends on the situation.
However, at this moment, his phone rang again. He took a look and saw that it was Director Liu Cong from the Science and Technology Bureau.
He raised his eyebrows and then answered the phone.
He said with a smile, "Director Liu, why are you free to call me?"
"Hey, do you still know the reason why I called you?"
The hearty laughter of Liu Cong immediately came from the other end of the phone.
Then he said, "You really brought us a huge surprise, lithium-sulfur solid-state battery."
"As soon as the news came out two days ago, I went directly to the meeting. Guess what the leader said? 'Good, very good'."
"The leader is so happy!"
"Now that the meeting is over, let me call you specifically. I hope you will come to Shangjing. The main purpose is to discuss the commercialization of this technology in the future. I hope to ask for your opinion."
"In addition, the bosses of Linde Era and Diaby are also here. Wang Chuanfu and Zeng Yuqun are also meeting here these two days."
After hearing Liu Cong's words, Xiao Yi realized why these two companies had not contacted him. It turned out that the two bosses were meeting at Shangjing's place.
After thinking for a moment, it seemed that this trip to Shangjing was necessary, and then he said, "Okay, when will we go?"
"Of course, the sooner you come, the better! Your suggestion is the top priority now." Liu Cong said with a smile, "If you have any ideas now, you can tell me first, and I will report it to the leader."
Xiao Yi said, "I don't have any ideas. Anyway, this is the patent. Just don't lead to a monopoly."
"Hey, that's for sure, just keep your mind at ease!" Liu Cong laughed, "You don't need to say this kind of thing, we all know it."
"Okay, then I'll book a flight ticket now and come Shangjing right away."
Hang up the phone.
Xiao Yi sighed, as he thought before, this technology ultimately depends on national coordination.
However, this is good, as he doesn't have to worry about it. He can just license the patent and wait to collect the money.
In the end, he stopped talking nonsense and asked Wang Hao to book a ticket to Shangjing, and then he set off directly.
In the afternoon of that day, Xiao Yi arrived at Shangjing and accepted the personal reception from Director Liu Cong. At the reception banquet, he also met the two big bosses Wang Chuanfu and Zeng Yuqun.
Both of these bosses have backgrounds in science and engineering, and they were originally engaged in batteries.
Especially Zeng Yuqun, who is a doctoral student who graduated from Physics Research Institute, can be called "friends" with Xiao Yi. He is also quite solid in technology. He once led the team to conquer the purchased Bell Labs polymer The compound lithium battery technology patent has the industry problem of battery bulging. It can be said that he has demonstrated his ability in battery technology research very early. It is not an accident that he was able to start a company like Linde Era, which accounts for one-third of the global battery market.
After the two bosses met Xiao Yi, they also took him to have a good chat about his ideas on battery technology, and each talked about their thoughts on the future development of battery technology.
Especially in terms of lithium-sulfur solid-state batteries, there are still quite a few technologies that can be explored.
The three patents of Xiao Yi are only material patents, but how to combine these three patents in the future to develop battery technology with better performance is what companies like Linde Era need to consider.
For example, the famous blade battery structure of Diaby.
Twenty years from now, when the patent for lithium-sulfur solid-state batteries expires, it will be the turn of various companies to fight for structure and design.
For a while, they were chatting happily.
As the time came to the next day, Xiao Yi entered the most mysterious place in China and started a discussion about the layout of the future battery industry.
This meeting lasted for three days.
Until the third day, when Xiao Yi, Wang Chuanfu, Zeng Yuqun and others left here smiling, it basically meant that what the future battery pattern will be like has been determined.