Chapter 1547 Are we screwed?

A few days later, Lian Hai.

Chang Haonan walked into the Lianhai Institute of Chemical Physics in a dusty manner and shook hands tightly with Academician Zhang Tao who had been waiting there.

"Academician Zhang, excuse me. I am very interested in the single-atom catalysis mentioned in the email, especially the diatomic system."

"Academician Chang, you are so polite! It is our honor to have you here!" Academician Zhang Tao was in high spirits and smiling. "Everything is ready. Please come this way!"

He obviously attached great importance to Chang Haonan's visit.

A few minutes later, the group walked into a building with a sign that read "Advanced Energy Materials Laboratory."

There were already more than a dozen researchers wearing lab coats and protective gear standing inside, obviously having prepared for a long time in advance.

After briefly introducing the laboratory, one of them walked forward carefully and took out a seemingly ordinary black electrode.

"This is Dr. Wang Lingxiao from our lab, who specializes in single-atom catalysis."

Zhang Tao introduced from the side.

For a PhD student, the chance to show up in front of another big shot is naturally a great opportunity.

However, Wang Lingxiao immediately suppressed his emotions and introduced:

"Professor Chang, this is our latest developed cathode catalyst, based on platinum-iron diatomic active sites supported by an iron oxide carrier."

He assembled the electrode sheets into a standard hydrogen-oxygen fuel cell test cell and flipped a switch.

As the instrument started up, several red numbers on the digital display screen began to flash.

Chang Haonan kept his eyes fixed on the key parameters until the performance gradually stabilized.

Of course, the final result will be calculated and displayed directly by the computer, and it is impossible for Chang Haonan to calculate it manually on the spot.

Starting voltage: 1.15 V

Half-wave potential: 1.05 V

Fuel conversion efficiency: 76.6%

"76.6%..." Chang Haonan couldn't help but repeat softly, "I remember... the upper limit of the theoretical conversion efficiency of hydrogen-oxygen fuel cells is 83%?"

"That's right." Wang Lingxiao nodded, and then switched the data on the screen to channel two, which was another battery next to it that used a traditional commercial platinum-carbon catalyst.

Under exactly the same test conditions, the starting voltage was only 1.03 V and the conversion efficiency was only about 55%.

"It's really amazing..." Chang Haonan exclaimed sincerely, and then asked further: "Are there any results of the microstructure characterization of this diatomic catalyst? Especially the distribution state at the atomic scale?"

"Academician Chang, please wait a moment. I have just finished electron microscopy on a batch of samples. The results should be delivered soon."

Chang Haonan nodded, indicating that he was not in a hurry.

But the atmosphere in the laboratory was a little cold.

In order to avoid embarrassment, he simply asked another key question while waiting: "This kind of bimetallic supported single atom catalyst should be very difficult to synthesize, right?"

The single-atom array that Chang Haonan envisioned was extremely complex, but the sample that the other party had just taken out was estimated to weigh several grams.

Academician Zhang Tao smiled and waved his hand: "It's not that mysterious. We use high-temperature pyrolysis. First, we modify the MOFs framework and replace part of the platinum with zinc. Then we use this modified precursor to directly sinter at high temperature. At high temperature, the zinc will be 'burned' and volatilized away, and the remaining platinum and iron can be stably retained on the carrier, effectively preventing agglomeration."

He then added, "Of course, if the system studied by Academician Chang is not resistant to high temperatures, there are also ball milling or atomic layer deposition methods... In short, industrial mass production is difficult and the cost is very high, but there are still many ways to make some samples in the laboratory."

He was shocked by such a nonchalant answer. He thought that every different profession has its own difficulties. What he thought was an insurmountable problem actually had multiple solutions in the eyes of professionals.

However, this joy did not last long.

As soon as Zhang Tao finished speaking, the door of the laboratory was pushed open.

Another researcher came in breathlessly, holding a USB flash drive in his hand.

The data was quickly imported into the computer. Chang Haonan could not wait to lean over and check the images from the high-resolution transmission electron microscope and the spherical aberration-corrected scanning transmission electron microscope.

Despite being a two-dimensional result, the bright spots of individual metal atoms on the support are clearly shown.

However, after a careful examination, the excitement in Chang Haonan's eyes gradually dimmed.

Although these single-atom sites are dispersed relatively evenly on the carrier, their distribution is completely disordered, like sesame seeds scattered randomly on paper.

This is far from the structure he envisioned, which is precisely arranged and forms a specific configuration at the nano or even atomic scale.

The huge gap made Chang Haonan silent for a moment.

Obviously, the "monoatomic structure" in the concepts of both parties are not the same thing.

After quickly adjusting his mindset, Chang Haonan turned to Zhang Tao and pointed to the computer screen: "Academician Zhang, is it possible to go one step further... that is, not only to control the existence and dispersion of single atoms, but also to precisely control their positions on the carrier. For example, at the nanoscale, let these active sites be arranged in an orderly manner according to our design to form a true single atom array?"

As soon as these words were spoken, the entire laboratory fell silent.

The smile on Academician Zhang Tao's face froze, replaced by an expression of great astonishment and a bitter smile.

The doctoral students and researchers behind him looked at each other, as if they had heard some far-fetched story.

“Academician Chang…” Zhang Tao took a deep breath, his tone full of helplessness. “To be honest, the core goal of all our current single-atom synthesis strategies is still focused on how to efficiently and controllably produce a single, stable, and highly active single-atom site. At most, we try to control the local coordination environment around the site, as we did just now. As for making them form a regular array in space…”

He shook his head heavily. "To be honest, we can't even accurately observe the specific position of a single atom in three-dimensional space... Even if we have some ideas, there is no way to verify whether the product we get is a true single-atom array..."

Chang Haonan instantly realized that the other party was facing exactly the same difficulties as himself.

This is actually a good thing.

"Academician Zhang!" Chang Haonan's voice was filled with a hint of excitement and subtle excitement. "What if I say that we are solving the problem of representation?"

"Huh?" Zhang Tao and everyone in the laboratory pricked up their ears instantly.

"We are working with the Institute of Biophysics of the Chinese Academy of Sciences to develop a new microscopic imaging system." Chang Haonan spoke quickly, "It can combine the high-resolution structural imaging capability of the transmission electron microscope with the atomic-level composition and three-dimensional position information of the atom probe, and ultimately achieve the simultaneous determination of the precise position and chemical identity of atoms inside the material in three-dimensional space..."

"..."

He looked at Zhang Tao with a sharp gaze and said, "We expect that within the next 12 to 18 months, we will be able to launch an engineering prototype or even a preliminary commercial product."

"hiss--"

There was a sound of people gasping in shock in the laboratory.

Zhang Tao's reaction was not that strong, but his eyes were clearly shining: "Are you serious?!"

Chang Haonan nodded.

"Then... do you have a rough estimate of the price?" He took a deep breath and asked anxiously, "So that we can apply in advance... or raise funds."

Looking at the enthusiastic and expectant eyes of Zhang Tao and a group of researchers, Chang Haonan smiled and said, "Academician Zhang, please don't be anxious... The equipment is still under development, so it's too early to talk about the price. I'm not here to sell you the equipment today."

Then he changed the subject and returned to the original purpose: "I remember you mentioned earlier that you already had some ideas?"

Zhang Tao's expression froze for a moment, then he nodded:

"Our initial judgment is that we can use the method of film shrinkage to induce self-assembly, that is, to disperse the metal phthalocyanine molecules on the surface of the inorganic material, spread them into a film when heated, and the surface layer shrinks with the heating fluctuations, eventually inducing the molecules to self-assemble into a one-dimensional array..."

Chang Haonan could tell that Zhang Tao was holding back, which was completely understandable.

For such cutting-edge exploration, the core details are naturally the team's most precious treasure. The cooperation between the two parties is still only verbal, and of course it is impossible to blurt out all of them in a rush.

Therefore, he did not point it out, but was more looking forward to this technical route.

"Then, we can be more specific..."

He originally wanted to say that they could study the details of the subsequent cooperation.

But at this moment, administrative assistant Liu Chenchen walked quickly in from outside the laboratory with a rare look of urgency on his face.

She leaned over to Chang Haonan's ear and said in a quick but clear voice:

"Academician Chang, I just received an urgent call from the company. Candlelight Technology... was sued. Several other companies sued us in courts in Beijing and Shanghai at the same time for patent infringement and patent ownership disputes..."

In an instant, it was not only Chang Haonan.

Even Zhang Tao, who accidentally heard it, showed an expression of disbelief.

Who sued whom?