A genius? I just love studying.

Chapter 302 The Unexpected 138K
"If your country can provide the complete technology for the seventh-generation fighter jet, we are willing to provide the complete technology for high-temperature superconductivity."

In a remote conference room, Chinese and German negotiators are having friendly talks.

Such a major event is certainly not something Eremets can decide on his own. Even if he is confident that he can complete the research on controlled nuclear fusion before China, they have more important interests to consider.

"Or we can try a different way of trading."

The Chinese negotiators, of course, could not agree to such a proposal. "We can sell you a few seventh-generation fighter jets, and you provide us with high-temperature superconducting wires, how about that?"

After much deliberation, Germany ultimately rejected the proposal.

They believed that if the high-temperature superconducting wires were handed over to the Chinese, they might be able to replicate them within a few months and figure out a complete technical route. However, after obtaining the seventh-generation fighter jet, they were unable to replicate it, which was clearly not a worthwhile deal.

The negotiations lasted for more than two hours, but ultimately ended in failure.

……

"Perhaps we can hand over these technologies. If we can achieve controlled nuclear fusion, it will bring us even more benefits."

In the conference room, Old Zhao frowned and said, "Even if they get our technology, they won't be able to replicate the seventh-generation fighter jet in a short time. We are still making progress. By the time they develop the seventh-generation fighter jet, our eighth-generation fighter jet may already be in development."

Everyone understood what Lao Li meant. As a former industrial powerhouse, Germany is now complacent and complacent. Even if they were given the technology, they wouldn't be able to replicate it in a short time. What they need to do is take advantage of the time difference.

The seventh-generation fighter jet is indeed not their limit. Recently, news came from Shenyang Aircraft Corporation that they have made some new breakthroughs.

Although exchanging the core technology of the seventh-generation fighter jet for high-temperature superconductivity seems like a huge loss for them, as long as they get something useful in return, it's not a loss.

If they can run faster, then the opponent will only have outdated technology.

This is a strong sense of self-confidence.

This statement was agreed upon by most people in the meeting room. Today, China is entering a period of rapid development in all aspects, and everyone has this confidence.

"I mean, can you guys have a little more faith in Professor Chen?"

"Professor Chen has personally taken action, so why should we rush to exchange technology with the Germans?"

Just before the final vote, Old Li, who had been sitting silently in the corner, suddenly spoke up, "It's only been less than two months, what's the rush?"

Old Zhao looked at Old Li suspiciously. "Are you deliberately trying to cause trouble?"

"You used to oppose any suggestion related to Professor Chen, but now you suddenly trust him so much?"

Old Li turned his head away, not even wanting to look at Old Zhao, "I always judge things by their nature, not by their personalities."

"you……"

"okay."

Mr. Qian, who was at the head of the table, spoke up, "This time I think Mr. Li is right."

"They actually think they can take away our seventh-generation fighter jet technology just by relying on high-temperature superconductivity? That's outrageous!"

"Let's put this matter on hold for now."

He proposed the deal thinking the other party would accept it and back down, but the other party clearly misunderstood and thought they were showing weakness.

With my seventh-generation fighter jet at my disposal, I'll avoid your sharp edge.

……

In the chemistry lab at Southern University of Science and Technology,
Chen Hui had no idea how much effort Qian Lao and the others had put into him; otherwise, he would have been both amused and exasperated.

The atmosphere in the laboratory was no longer one of simple tension or anticipation, but rather one of almost solemn focus, as if the air itself had been compressed, awaiting a decisive release.

Chen Hui stood in front of the control panel, his face calm, but deep in his eyes burned an absolute light that had been refined and tempered seven times.

All possible preparations have been completed.

The core algorithm of the model has undergone a revolutionary revision, abandoning all crude approximations and adopting first-principles calculations that are computationally intensive but extremely accurate to simulate electronic behavior.

The hardware has undergone the most rigorous recalibration and is in its best condition ever.

"Eighth generation sequence, start." Chen Hui's voice was calm and even as he pressed the virtual button that symbolized the beginning.

This time, the humming of the synthesizer seemed to have a different frequency, more stable and more harmonious.

The energy output of the laser beam is astonishingly stable, and the introduction of the raw material airflow is as precise as a Swiss watch.

On the main control screen, the process of building the atomic structure is no longer a step-by-step pursuit, but more like a well-choreographed, elegant and precise dance. The structural diagram of the model and the execution of the real equipment have achieved an unprecedented unity.

The progress bar is moving forward steadily and firmly.

Chen Hui didn't stare intently at every fluctuating parameter as he had before. He simply stood quietly, his gaze deep, as if he were perceiving the miracle of atoms and energy taking place inside the vacuum chamber through the screen.

50%...70%...90%...

No alarm!

There is no sign of it going off track!
Every parameter is the perfect green!
When the progress bar finally jumped to 100%, the synthesis process quietly ended.

There were no cheers, no gasps of amazement, because everyone knew that the real test was just beginning.

Inside the vacuum chamber, a dark blue sample, smaller than the seventh one but with a more restrained and profound luster, floated quietly. It looked inconspicuous, but it embodied the hard work of everyone present, and even humanity as a whole, in the ultimate exploration of materials science.

The robotic arm moved it to the superconducting test platform with almost divine slowness.

The laboratory was so quiet you could hear everyone breathing.

The sample was slowly immersed in liquid nitrogen at -196°C.

sizzle.

The liquid nitrogen boiled violently and then quickly subsided.

The most crucial step is to power on the circuit and measure the resistance.

Chen Hui's gaze fell as if it were a physical object on the resistance monitoring screen, and his heart seemed to stop beating at that moment.

Numerical values ​​began to appear on the screen.

then,

Before everyone's incredulous eyes, the resistance value plummeted as if into an abyss, dropping without hesitation or pause in a mere instant.

zero!
An absolute, stable, and unquestionable zero!
The resistance monitoring curve has become a lifeless straight line that hugs the horizontal axis!

Did it work? !

Just as a huge, almost dizzying question arose, an even more shocking scene unfolded the next second!

The dark blue sample, immersed in liquid nitrogen, seemed to be gently lifted by an invisible hand, and began to slowly, steadily, and defying all common sense to suspend itself!
It did not throb violently, but rather floated steadily in the center of the Dewar flask, maintaining a clear distance from the bottom of the container, and rotated slightly.

Meissner effect! Perfect diamagnetism!
This is irrefutable proof of superconductivity! Undeniable!
“It…it’s a success…” A young PhD student was the first to speak, his voice trembling and choked with sobs.

moment!

The deathly silence was shattered! Like a dam collapsing completely, a huge, ecstatic roar erupted!

"We did it! My God! We did it!"

"138K! High-temperature superconductivity! It's high-temperature superconductivity!"

"My God! It's floating! It's really floating!"

The laboratory was instantly filled with cheers, shouts, and even some incoherent screams.

The researchers jumped up, hugged each other, and patted each other on the back. Some were even moved to tears. The coffee in the paper cups was spilled on the ground, but no one paid any attention.

But everyone's gaze was drawn to the figure standing in front of the control panel.

Chen Hui remained standing in the same spot. He didn't move, nor did he cheer like the others. He simply stared intently at the sample that was gracefully suspended in the liquid nitrogen mist, at the lifeless zero-resistance curve.

Several seconds later, he took a very slow, deep breath, as if trying to inhale this historic moment completely into his lungs.

Then, he closed his eyes, and an uncontrollable smile spread across his face—a huge, bright smile filled with endless emotion and joy.

"Congratulations!"

Xue Qikun reached out to Chen Hui. He had personally witnessed how this excessively young man had accomplished in just over two months what countless scientists might never be able to do in their entire lives.

Although he provided everything from the data to the experimental equipment, he didn't really need to get involved in the entire experimental process.

"Happy together."

Chen Hui was in high spirits; his great cause of controlled nuclear fusion was finally on a smooth path.

He originally only wanted to synthesize a high-temperature superconductor above 77K, but he did not expect that the potential of nickel-based superconductors would far exceed his imagination. The nickel oxide thin film they have synthesized so far has a superconducting transition temperature as high as 138K.

Although it is currently being prepared in the laboratory, the cost is only slightly higher. If necessary, it would be perfectly feasible to supply Chen Hui with a magnet system for controlled nuclear fusion at this cost.

"Leave the rest of the industrialization to me. Don't worry, it will take at most three months."

Xue Qikun assured Chen Hui that their team was indeed very experienced in this area.

Chen Hui was happy to relax. With New Year's Day already over and the Lunar New Year just around the corner, he really should take a break.

However, before going home, Chen Hui first went back to the Plasma Research Institute.

Song Yuntao and Liu Yong have now completed the integration of two major achievements: the plasma operation model and the divertor.

Liu Yong and his team used liquid lithium alloy as the target material for the divertor, which not only largely solved the problems of heat dissipation and radiation, but also enabled them to obtain tritium by irradiating lithium metal, thereby achieving tritium self-sufficiency and maintaining the reaction operation.

Because tritium has a half-life of only 12 years, it cannot be stored for a long time. About 5.5% of it decays naturally every year, and its reserves in nature are extremely small, so it can only be prepared artificially.

Currently, the world's tritium stockpile mainly comes from byproducts of fission reactors, totaling only a few tens of kilograms. Even a megawatt-class commercial fusion power plant needs to consume about 0.5 kilograms of tritium per day. In comparison, the world's existing stockpile is only enough to operate a few power plants for a very short time.

Therefore, for controlled nuclear fusion to operate stably, it is best to generate tritium during the dramatic reaction process.

One way to prepare tritium is through the reaction neutron + lithium → helium + tritium, which is a thermal neutron reaction with high efficiency. Therefore, liquid lithium metal is used as the target metal in divertors, which can absorb heat and neutron radiation on the one hand, and produce tritium efficiently on the other.

It can be said that it turns waste into treasure and resolves a dilemma.

It has to be said that this was a brilliant idea, and they pulled it off.

Chen Hui admitted that even if he were to solve this problem himself, he probably wouldn't be able to do it as well as Liu Yong and his team.

After visiting Liu Yong and his team's improved divertor, Chen Hui went to Academician E Weinan's laboratory. A few days ago, they sent good news, saying that they had discovered a new material that should naturally be the first wall material.

As soon as Chen Hui entered the laboratory, he heard a cheer, which seemed to indicate that there had been new progress.

"Heat load capacity: 13.7MW/㎡!"

"Neutron radiation resistance up to 100 dPa!"

"It maintains sufficient strength even at temperatures of 3000 degrees Celsius..."

Deng Ting looked at the final test results and her voice rose eight octaves.

Chen Hui was secretly astonished. These figures were several times higher than those of the current first wall material, and some were even nearly ten times higher. This was a qualitative leap.

"It's time to build a heap!"

Chen Hui looked excited; he had finally reached this point!
"Xiaohui is back!"

At this moment, E Weinan also saw Chen Hui standing at the laboratory door. His face was filled with joy and a hint of pride. "I have lived up to my mission!"

"Junior brother, now the pressure is on you."

Yang Chi also walked over with a smile. He was the key contributor to the discovery of the new first wall material, and he was naturally in high spirits.

"Pressure is a motivator, and I will work hard."

Seeing Yang Chi's excited expression, Chen Hui didn't tell him that he had completed the research and development of high-temperature superconducting materials and was just waiting for industrialization.

"Don't put too much pressure on yourself. When it comes to scientific research, taking things step by step is the key."

E Weinan waved his hand, then beckoned Chen Hui to walk outside the laboratory before whispering, "The election for academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering will take place after the New Year. How about it, are you interested in being elected as an academician?"

Yang Chi, who was originally planning to come over and listen to the gossip, felt that he had disturbed them upon hearing this, so he took a step back and left.

He knew that even if he had only discovered the first wall material, or even if he had synthesized high-temperature superconductivity, his achievements would not be comparable to Chen Hui's, and he would still be far from being elected as an academician.

Chen Hui hesitated for a moment, "Am I too young at my age?"

"What young ones are there?"

"There is no rule specifying a minimum age for being elected as an academician."

"People look at contributions and achievements, not just age."

E Weinan said firmly, "You just need to tell me whether you want to be elected as an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering or the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and I will recommend you for it."

Chen Hui's situation is indeed quite special. He is eligible to be nominated for both the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering. Otherwise, he wouldn't have asked Chen Hui any questions and would have just recommended the nominee directly.

"The Chinese Academy of Engineering." Considering that he would be conducting research related to controlled nuclear fusion in the future, Chen Hui made his choice.

……

Beijing, courtyard house

Looking at the stack of recommendation letters in front of him, Mr. Qian was both amused and exasperated.

"Tian Yang, Zhang Jiping, E Weinan, Zheng Nanning..."

More than forty academicians recommended Chen Hui. Such a grand occasion seems to have never happened before since the rules for the selection of academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences and the Chinese Academy of Engineering were established.

If Tian Yang knew this, he wouldn't have needed to go through the trouble of finding someone to recommend Chen Hui.

(End of this chapter)