From top student in college to scientific research powerhouse

Chapter 85 Luck? Of course it's luck, it's all luck!

"The association exists!"

"The uneven distribution of nickel in the material is the key point that we hadn't thought of before!"

"So that's how it is!" Zhang Minghao suddenly realized.

In the research that replicated the experiment at Donggang University, everyone, including himself, subconsciously felt that the higher the quality of the prepared nickel/alumina cermet, the more obvious the 'electromagnetic interference fluidity' effect would be.

During his previous research on airflow fluctuations, he concluded that the problem lay with the materials.

They went to the Heterogeneous Materials Physics Laboratory, found Professor Han Xuming, and asked him to help create the new material.

Han Xuming manufactured materials of higher quality, and they discovered clear signals of liquidity fluctuations by relying on these superior materials.

This gives everyone the impression that the higher the quality of the material, the easier it is to create a clear electromagnetic interference flow phenomenon.

In conventional thinking, a metal-ceramic mixture made by mixing two substances will naturally be more thoroughly mixed, with a more uniform distribution of elements, resulting in better experimental results.

However, high-quality materials only make liquidity fluctuations more explicit and regular, rather than creating high liquidity.

It must contain some unknown physical factors.

The experiment conducted at Donggang University used materials that were prepared in a conventional manner, which may have triggered a special distribution.

"What kind of special distribution is it?" Zhang Minghao pondered deeply.

He tried hard to dig out fragments of his memory.

In my memory, the materials used in the experiment may have been made by him personally, or they may have been made by Xue Kun.

Xue Kun guided him through experiments and taught him how to prepare nickel/alumina cermet, but the quality of the materials he produced was definitely not as high as that of Xue Kun's.

From another perspective, even if Xue Kun prepares something by hand, it doesn't necessarily mean that everything he makes is of high quality.

Everyone is prone to making mistakes when performing manual operations, and even the most skilled operator may produce substandard materials.

"It can now be confirmed that it is definitely related to the uneven distribution of nickel in the material."

"We can conduct experiments in this direction next..."

Zhang Minghao was somewhat overwhelmed with emotion.

He had always hoped to replicate the experiment at Donggang University.

The 'Zhang phenomenon' is only half of the replication experiment. He did not create high fluidity in the experiment, and the replication experiment was not completed.

The key factor in the experiment has now been found.

He stood up.

Inside the workspace, the other three looked over with puzzled expressions.

Zhang Minghao gave Chen Lanjun a thumbs up and exclaimed, "Sister Lanjun, you're absolutely right!"

"Think from the perspective of the literature, and look in the mirror..."

"Great!"

"Thank you!"

He sincerely thanked him and strode out of the laboratory.

Xu Chao turned his head and stared blankly as Zhang Minghao's figure disappeared. He immediately turned back to himself and asked, "Was he mocking me just now?"

"My translation was indeed poor, so there's no need for further sarcasm..."

Liao Shuyan shrugged, not understanding.

Chen Lanjun muttered to herself, "What did he just call me? Sister Lanjun?"

"No, I have to call it back!"

After she finished speaking, she quickly stood up, chased after him to the door, and shouted loudly, "Brother Minghao—"

Then they returned to their seats.

Liao Shuyan and Xu Chao both looked at him as if he were an idiot.

Chen Lanjun casually brushed her bangs aside and said matter-of-factly, "We must call them back!"

“He’s my brother Minghao. I’ll naturally ask him any questions next time. And if there’s anything beneficial, he’ll include me.”

"I've become Sister Lan Jun, I've gotten older, and all the advantages are gone!"

"Uh--"

Liao Shuyan and Xu Chao exchanged a glance and then gave Chen Lanjun a thumbs up in unison.

……

Zhang Minghao went to the main office but couldn't find Xue Kun. After asking around, he learned that Xue Kun had gone to a meeting on the second floor.

He immediately went up to the second floor.

Xue Kun said it was a meeting, but he actually went to the director's office to discuss project application matters with Zhu Bingkun and Chen Shuai.

The project the lab is applying for is a follow-up study of the Zhang phenomenon, titled 'Experimental and Mechanism Study of Zhang's Conjecture'.

The project application process is very complicated, and there are two main issues that need to be addressed.

One option was to invite a researcher with expertise in electromagnetic theory to join the project team.

They are applying for large projects, but they don't have enough researchers.

In addition, the research direction of experimental mechanisms does indeed require the addition of a professional who is proficient in electromagnetic theory.

The laboratory can adopt a collaborative approach, inviting professors from Jiangzhou University or other universities to join the project team.

"It could be in the field of superconductivity, or it could be in the field of quantum physics..."

"It's best to find someone young, between thirty-five and forty years old; someone too old won't do."

"They must be capable, and ideally, they should be able to provide us with experimental directions based on theoretical research."

"If you are specially invited to come and join the lab, that would be great. Our lab can accommodate one more researcher."

Another issue is the potential defense.

After the project application materials are submitted, the superior department may approve it directly, or it may require a defense.

You need to carefully consider your research direction during the project defense.

If it comes to the defense stage, you need to explain in detail the difficulties and key issues of the research so that the reviewers understand the project's potential and research direction.

These are all things that need to be considered.

After Zhang Minghao entered the office, he sat down and listened to the three people's discussion.

After discussing the questions for their defense, the trio looked at Zhang Minghao together and asked, "What are your thoughts?"

"I'm here to talk about the experiment."

Zhang Minghao sat down and told the trio about his thoughts.

Zhu Bingkun was somewhat surprised. "You mean to say that the materials we made might be too uniform and of too high quality, which is why we couldn't produce high fluidity?"

"Isn't higher quality material always better?"

Xue Kun raised another question, "According to your idea, what should be done?"

"The nickel is not distributed uniformly. How is it uneven, and what kind of distribution is it?"

Zhang Minghao thought for a moment and said frankly, "I think this idea is correct, but I don't know exactly how it's uneven."

"Without theoretical support and before the experiments are conducted, it is difficult to explore the theory."

He continued, "Just now I recalled the experiment at Donggang University, and the materials used may have been prepared by me, so this may be the key."

"You mean the materials you used are of poor quality?" Chen Shuai said, laughing.

The other three looked at them with puzzled expressions.

Zhu Bingkun asked bluntly, "What's so funny about Zhang Minghao's materials not being as good as his teacher's?"

"Uh--"

Chen Shuai awkwardly shut his mouth.

They then carefully considered the problem of uneven nickel distribution.

If the goal is to achieve a uniform distribution of nickel, then you can focus your efforts in a single direction.

The nickel is unevenly distributed, and I don't even know how to exert myself properly.

What kind of unevenness?

There are too many possibilities for unevenness; the possibilities are simply immeasurable.

If the unevenness was intentionally created, there are many possibilities.

Several people kept thinking about it.

The difficulty of researching a new physics topic lies in this: even if the direction is determined and others are willing to believe it, how do you conduct experiments?
Without theoretical support, experiments are conducted almost by chance.

Chen Shuai suddenly spoke up, "No need to think about it, let's just rely on luck!"

"Rely on luck?" Zhu Bingkun was both amused and exasperated. "Doing experiments, relying on luck?"

"What's wrong? What's the problem?"

Chen Shuai said, "Which of our experiments wasn't based on luck?"

"In previous experiments, specifically those involving tinene, there were theoretical guidelines on how to conduct the experiments."

"Wasn't your research on STN-01 based on luck?"

"Wasn't Zhang Minghao's experiment in Donggang just luck?"

Zhu Bingkun was immediately stumped by the question.

Chen Shuai's words were very straightforward, but upon closer examination, they made sense.

Even with clear directions, many experiments still rely on luck and lack concrete theoretical support.

Can an experiment still be called innovative research if it has a sound theoretical basis?
Xue Kun suddenly laughed and said, "If it's all about luck, and considering the uneven distribution of nickel, maybe we can make things easier and let inexperienced PhD students work on the materials."

"I'll personally teach them, and have a few doctoral students do it, just like I taught Zhang Minghao back then. Maybe we'll discover something by chance?"

Zhu Bingkun, Chen Shuai, and Zhang Minghao exchanged glances.

That makes sense!

Zhang Minghao was taught a few times before he prepared the materials himself.

Now, find a few PhD students who haven't studied materials preparation and teach them step-by-step how to prepare nickel/alumina cermets.

Perhaps someone else prepared materials that have the same problems as those prepared by Zhang Minghao?

Can high fluidity be created through experimentation?
This possibility exists!
……

The three researchers in the lab, including Zhang Ming, finalized the experimental plan together.

They decided to have doctoral students who had no background in materials science prepare nickel/alumina cermet materials.

The preparation of nickel/alumina cermets is not particularly difficult, but there are certain operational requirements, and it is best to be skilled in the operation; otherwise, the manufactured material will not have the desired properties.

That would be a waste of materials.

Of course, their goal is to produce a material with 'some problems' that results in uneven nickel distribution, which requires skilled operation.

A PhD student with no prior experience in materials preparation was able to produce a large number of materials with uneven nickel distribution.

This is the benefit.

The downside is that it costs a lot of money.

Nickel and aluminum oxide are not precious metals, but the powders used in laboratories are very fine, so they are quite expensive.

Once mass production in the laboratory is undertaken, coupled with the costs of experimentation, the funds will be consumed very quickly.

Fortunately, the laboratory has sufficient funding.

Zhu Bingkun waved his hand and immediately collected a large batch of materials. They were just waiting for the materials to arrive before starting the experiment.

……

The materials will arrive soon, and we can officially begin tomorrow.

The day before, Zhang Minghao went to class.

As soon as Ma Yan saw Zhang Minghao, he went straight over. After hesitating for a long time, he finally asked the question he had been wanting to ask, "Brother Hao, about that thing you mentioned last time..."

"what?"

Zhang Minghao didn't understand at first.

"I just want you to put in a good word for me; I also want to get into the lab."

Ma Yan said dejectedly, "You haven't forgotten, have you?"

"Um……"

Zhang Minghao hesitated for a moment, then patted his chest and said, "How could that be!"

"I've already spoken to Professor Xue. You'll be coming to the lab tomorrow morning to do some big research with us!"

"Really?"

"Would I lie to you? Tomorrow morning at 8:30, just look for me then."

Ma Yan was immediately excited.

The next morning, he arrived at the lab around 7 a.m. and stood in the lobby waiting and waiting.

Zhang Minghao hadn't arrived yet, but Xue Kun did.

Xue Kun was a little surprised to see Ma Yan, but then he suddenly realized that Ma Yan was also a very suitable doctoral student. He had never been to a laboratory and certainly had not learned about laboratory material preparation.

"Come on, let's go to the lab!"

Xue Kun pulled Ma Yan to the back laboratory.

When Zhang Minghao arrived at the laboratory, the doctoral students studying the preparation of metal ceramic materials had already arrived in the experimental room.

Ma Yan gave him a thumbs up and said emotionally, "Brother Hao, it's always you!"

"Who brought you in?" Zhang Minghao asked, somewhat puzzled.

"Teacher Xue!"

Ma Yan said excitedly, "He also said that I'm perfect for this job, and he really praised me!"

"You said a lot of good things about me to Teacher Xue, didn't you?"

Zhang Minghao nodded slightly, but his eyes looked a little strange. He said, "You're suitable for this research?"

Is it a compliment?
"Keep it up!" he encouraged, patting Ma Yan on the shoulder.

Ma Yan was deeply moved.

He had just arrived at the lab when Xue Kun pulled him to the back of the lab and said that he was very suitable for the current research.

Zhang Minghao must have said something nice about this!

He inquired and found out that what they wanted to learn was the preparation of metal-ceramic materials, which required a lot of technical expertise; otherwise, it would be a waste of materials.

The materials aren't cheap either.

The materials used in a single preparation, including equipment usage fees, will cost at least a thousand yuan.

This kind of 'practice' is such a luxury!
There are five doctoral students studying materials preparation, but most of them are second-year doctoral students, with only Ma Yan being a first-year doctoral student.

Once everyone had arrived, Xue Kun began on-site instruction, teaching them step-by-step how to prepare metal ceramics.

Zhang Minghao, Zhu Bingkun, and Chen Shuai stood together and watched.

Zhu Bingkun asked the other two, "Is this really going to work? It doesn't seem very reliable..."

"Give it a try, I think there's hope," Zhang Minghao said.

"It all comes down to luck!"

Chen Shuai laughed and said, "It's the first time I've seen a group of doctoral students working on materials together. It's so interesting."

"We've been training these students regardless of cost, haven't we? They're practicing, and we're burning money on them!"

"From this perspective, it can be considered as laying the foundation for future projects. They have all learned how to prepare materials, which may come in handy."

“That’s right.”

Zhu Bingkun nodded.

The only downside is that the cost is too high. If a large number of substandard metal ceramics are manufactured and the experiments fail to detect them, it's like throwing money away.

In just a short period of time, hundreds of thousands of dollars were thrown in.

"We also need to prepare; we need to conduct the experiments ourselves."

“Testing each material one by one is also very complicated,” Chen Shuai said. “We have them prepare the materials once a day.”

"We can do five experiments a day, taking turns, and maybe we'll be able to discover..."

"correct!"

Chen Shuai suddenly thought of a question and said seriously, "When they officially start making materials, each person should be assigned a monitor to record the preparation process."

"Once the experiment reveals something, we can review the monitoring footage to see at which step the problem occurred."

Zhang Minghao was taken aback for a moment, then immediately gave Chen Shuai a thumbs up.

Zhu Bingkun understood and exclaimed, "Old Chen, you're amazing!"

"You've really thought of everything."

"Of course!"

Chen Shuai smiled, then his tone turned somewhat sorrowful, "This is the first time you've guided me in research, so we need to think of more things..."

　I'm humbly asking for your monthly votes~~~
　　
　
(End of this chapter)