Structural Adjustment
Before the Spring Festival, the FASTER Project Team continued to dope germanium, tin, and lead into Cerium Aluminum Copper amorphous materials, as well as germanium-tin, Germanium-Lead, tin- Germanium-Tin-Lead -lead combinations, trying various permutations and proportions of different components. The effective sample numbering went all the way up to A21.
Testing revealed that, for non-micro Nanoscale processing performance, Germanium-Lead -doped Cerium-Aluminum-Copper Amorphous Metallic Plastic exhibited the best performance; sample number A18.
Samples exhibiting excellent micro Nanoscale processing properties require further research and preparation.
For months, Shen Qi has been studying various metallic elements every day and leading his team to synthesize and prepare various Amorphous Alloy. In the laboratory, he feels like he is one-third a mathematician, one-third a physicist, and one-third a chemist.
To this end, Shen Qi spent more than 2 million academic points to upgrade his chemistry level to the master level of level 11, and consulted a large number of chemistry literatures during the Spring Festival, mainly focusing on Inorganic Chemistry.
The advancement to the master level in chemistry seemed to have had some effect. Shen Qi repeatedly studied all the elements in the periodic table and decided to make a fundamental change.
After the Spring Festival, Shen Qi stayed in the center Director's Office, occasionally going to the laboratory to check on the progress of experiments.
The other two keys to the laboratory were entrusted to Yang Ding Tian and Tang Yuan for safekeeping; these two were considered Shen Qi's right-hand men in physics.
Shen Qi summoned Yang Ding Tian and Tang Yuan to his office and said to his right-hand men, "Perhaps it's not a problem with the doping elements, but rather that the master template we chose is unsuitable. After thorough research, I believe that gallium can replace aluminum in the Cerium-Aluminum-Copper Ternary System. The new ternary system master template is Cerium-Gallium-Copper Amorphous. Why make a structural adjustment? I have my reasons."
Shen Qi operated his computer, while Yang and Tang each moved a chair and sat behind him to learn and observe.
Through Computer Science simulation, combined with first-principles calculations and Shen Qi's four elements of Condensed Matter Physics theory, Shen Qi compared the electronic density of states diagrams of Ce70Al10Cu20 and Ce70Ga10Cu20 on a computer.
"Look, the electron energy state density of cerium-4f in Cerium Aluminum Copper is significantly higher than that in the Cerium-Gallium-Copper Amorphous ternary system. What does this indicate?" Shen Qi asked his two capable assistants, pointing to the computer screen.
Tang Yuan quickly answered, "This shows that cerium-4f electrons are more nonlocalized in the Cerium-Gallium-Copper system."
"That's right." Shen Qi nodded and made a new operation using the mouse and keyboard.
Simulation software shows that the hybridization between Al-3p electron orbitals and Ce-4f and Ce-5d electron orbitals in the Ce-Al-Cu system is very weak.
Conversely, in the Ce-Ga-Cu system, there is a strong interaction between the Ga-4p electron orbitals and the Ce-4f and Ce-5d electron orbitals, which causes some localized Ce-4f1 states to transform into nonlocalized Ce-4f0 states.
Shen Qi asked, "What does this prove?"
Tang Yuan answered first, slapping his forehead in sudden realization. "This shows that the interaction between the chemical potential of gallium and cerium atoms leads to the emergence of some nonlocal states of cerium-4f0, thus shortening the chemical bonds between cerium. Considering the FASTER project, theoretically, the new Cerium-Gallium-Copper Ternary System will have a more suitable local atomic arrangement structure... I can't explain the theoretical basis clearly, as it involves defect topology and even complexity, but I roughly understand what Academician Shen means."
"OK, he understands. What about you?" Shen Qi turned to ask Yang Ding Tian.
Yang Ding Tian replied, "I understand."
"So, the development of the A Series samples ends here. A21 is the last one. Starting today, we will enter the research and development experimental phase of the B Series. The master model of the B Series is the Cerium-Gallium-Copper Ternary System. Let's get this alloy ingot ready first." Shen Qi assigned the new task, and Yang and Tang accepted the order and went to the laboratory.
Gallium has a low yield and is more expensive than aluminum. Replacing aluminum with gallium would increase experimental costs and subsequent commercialization costs.
That was unavoidable. During the experimental research and development phase, Shen Qi needed to consider economic benefits, but he couldn't let non-academic factors hinder his progress.
Excellent scientists must possess a highly forward-looking vision. If one day there is a breakthrough in the application technology of extracting and preparing high-purity gallium, the cost issue will no longer be a problem.
Regardless, Shen Qi's elite physics team, based on Shen Qi's self-created Condensed Matter Physics theory, successfully developed an excellent Metallic Plastic material in a short period of time. The sample number is A18, and the official name to be announced is Ce-Al-Cu Metallic Plastic.
This Metallic Plastic contains a certain ratio of germanium and lead. This conclusion can be made public, but the specific ratio must never be disclosed and is only known within the project team.
Sample A18 is the culmination of the collective efforts of Shen Qi Team; it is a scientific achievement and a patent.
Next, Shen Qi knew exactly what to do: apply for patent protection and publish the research results on the A18 sample.
Before doing these two things, Shen Qi had the other 11 members of the project team sign a supplementary confidentiality agreement.
When they joined the project team, the physics researchers had already signed a confidentiality agreement.
At the time, no specific research results were produced, but now that a research result has been achieved, the project team has acquired certain scientific assets, so the researchers have to sign a supplementary confidentiality agreement.
It's all in black and white, signed and sealed.
Everyone has signed.
Shen Qi carefully put away the 11 supplementary confidentiality agreements. "Alright, now that we've signed and sealed them, we're in this together. FASTER is a key national scientific research project. Leaking any research secrets of this project is tantamount to treason."
Shen Qi spoke very seriously, and everyone listened attentively.
"If everyone takes responsibility and risks, there will naturally be a corresponding reward." After recounting the tragic fate of traitors, Shen Qi then talked about the benefits of loyalty to the motherland and joining the FASTER Project Team: "I spent many years in the American academic community. Before the 1980s, the commercialization of scientific and technological achievements in the United States was just as chaotic as it was in China before 2010."
"Later, the United States enacted the Bayh-Dole Act. Today, the commercialization rate of scientific and technological achievements and patents in the US exceeds 80%. Patent inventors reap both fame and fortune, and companies are willing to pay, creating a win-win situation. China's version of the Bayh-Dole Act was implemented in 2007 as the Law on the Promotion of Science and Technology. After 2010, several articles were added and revised to the Law on the Promotion of Science and Technology. Zhongguancun is a pilot base, and the state encourages scientific and technological innovation and industrialization."
"Of course, the situations in China and the United States are different. Most of the top universities in the United States are private, and the level of government intervention is very low. But we are pleased to see that China is also making changes. At least we can walk a few steps from the gates of Yenching University to the Zhongguancun area to make our mark and earn fair and reasonable compensation." Shen Qi said this and noticed that the researchers looked excited.
Who wouldn't be happy to receive fair and reasonable compensation?
In Zhongguancun, central government-affiliated institutions, such as top universities like Yenching University and Tsinghua University, have autonomy over technological innovation.
To put it simply, Yenching University and Tsinghua University have special privileges; their scientific patent transactions can be negotiated directly with enterprises, and they only need to report to the Ministry of Finance for record-keeping.
This is good news for researchers at Yenching University and Tsinghua University. As long as they produce research results, it will be easier and more secure for them to earn money.
Shen Qi to find a buyer for the A18 sample; what they were selling was the patent development rights.
This involves some professional procedures. After the patent protection for the A18 sample is settled and the academic paper on the A18 sample is published, Shen Qi will arrange a professional team to contact the corporate buyer.