Scholar's Advanced Technological System
chapter-961

Computational materials science didn’t just come out of thin air.

Even Lu Zhou couldn’t calculate what material should be used for the lithium-air battery molecular exchange membrane with just a pen and paper.

The correct procedure for solving computational materials science problems was to find a feasible pathway through experimentation, then establish a mathematical model. After that, he could use a powerful computer to calculate the nanoscopic interactions of the molecules.

Fortunately, Yang Xu had collected plenty of data.

Having the experimental data and Debris No.1 meant that Lu Zhou already had 30% of the answer.

Therefore, he had quite an advantage compared to other people.

Lu Zhou placed all of his attention on the problem. He meticulously looked through the experimental data and converted the data into the language of mathematics. Using his knowledge of computational materials science, he gradually placed the puzzle pieces together.

Everything was going smoothly.

It was as easy as breathing for him.

Even though he hadn’t done any research in materials science ever since the controllable fusion engineering project, he wasn’t rusty at all.

After all, he was the one that made the Theoretical Model of the Electrochemical Interface Structure, which swept the entire theoretical chemistry and materials science fields.

And it was precisely this theory that won him the Nobel Prize in Chemistry.

Therefore, if he couldn’t solve this, no one else could.

The tip of his pen danced on the draft paper, producing rows of neatly written equations.

[By using the Hartree equation…]

[…]

Lu Zhou was in the zone. He was inside a flow state where he was shielded from the outside world.

His pen was like a blade, cutting through the weeds of science…

“There’s no need to explain the wave function for each particle movement.

“We just have to find the spatial wave function for the 3 variable particle density…

“If we can calculate all the particle systems, we can predict the physical property of the material!

“I haven’t felt this happy in a while!”

Lu Zhou felt a wave of relief in his heart as he wrote down the last character and put down his pen.

I finally did it.

The sun was starting to rise outside his window.

Lu Zhou looked at the sunrise and took a breath of fresh air.

As the fresh morning breeze blew through his window, every pore in his body was soaked in ecstasy.

He stretched his back and felt a wave of tiredness in his brain. He pinched his eyebrows, then took out a bottle of Energy Medicine from the system space and drank it.

The cold liquid ran down his throat, and he felt his brain being rejuvenated.

His dark, heavy eye bags that accumulated from him staying up all night gradually went away.

“This thing is amazing.”

Lu Zhou looked at the small bottle in his hand and spoke.

“If only I could produce more…”

I wonder if I’ll live long enough to see that happen.

Lu Zhou looked at the stack of papers, which were densely filled with calculations. He carefully read everything and made sure there were no problems.

The mathematical model was done.

And it was done using pen and paper.

And for the calculations, it was nothing a quantum computer couldn’t solve!

“Xiao Ai.”

A string of bubbles popped up on the lower right corner.

[Xiao Ai is here, Master.]

“Help me with something.”

Lu Zhou tidied up the stack of draft papers and looked at the lines of equations. A smile slowly appeared on his face.

“I have some data and a model here.

“Analyze it for me.”

…

Jinling Institute for Advanced Study.

Institute of Computational Materials.

A group of people gathered around a piece of experimental equipment with a serious look on their faces.

A second ago, they were adjusting the pore size of the porous silicon-based molecular exchange membrane. However, neither the computer simulations nor the experiment test results met their expectations.

It seemed like the research on lithium-air batteries was in a dead end.

No matter how close they were to cracking the case, if they couldn’t get rid of the nitrogen penetration problem, their research would be worthless…

Qian Zhongming, who was standing next to Yang Xu, broke the silence and said, “Maybe our thinking is wrong.”

As Yang Xu stared at him, Qian Zhongming continued, “Adjusting the pore size might increase the permeability of oxygen molecules, but it doesn’t help with the nitrogen molecules penetrating the membrane, maybe…”

He paused for a second and continued, “Maybe the idea of using a porous silicon-based molecular exchange membrane is wrong. It’s infeasible.”

The laboratory was dead silent.

This meant that the work they had done for the past two years was for nothing…

Yang Xu clenched his fist.

After a while, he took a deep breath and spoke.

“I’ll try again, if it doesn’t work…”

Even though every single cell in his body wanted to continue, he knew he couldn’t stay on this research pathway forever. He was an institute director; he couldn’t blindly allow his men to die on this pathway.

Maybe the team should take a vacation, relax a little, and think about how to write the ending report.

If this project is still alive, we should think about what other pathways we could pursue…

Suddenly, a voice came from the laboratory entrance.

“There’s no need, Mr. Qian is correct.”

Everyone watched Lu Zhou walk into the laboratory. He placed a USB on the table and spoke in a relaxed tone.

“At least, he’s half correct.”

Yang Xu looked at the USB and asked, “What is this?”

“It’s a molecular exchange membrane model, using a new material…”

Lu Zhou coughed and said, “Basically, I need you to replace all of the silicon in the membrane with carbon!”