Chapter 1556 Let the American media promote China?

Dalhousie University.

Jeff Dane hung up the phone, but instead of opening his email as Strogatz suggested, he immediately stood up and left his office.

In fact, not only had he just seen the email reminder from arXiv, he was also one of the reviewers designated by the Nature editorial department for this article, so he had already read this masterpiece that was enough to shock the entire industry.

Even since yesterday, he has organized students to prepare and test the new catalytic materials mentioned in the paper.

In general, for cost and operability considerations, reviewers only need to examine whether the logic of the argument in the paper is smooth, and they are not responsible for the authenticity of the specific data.

But the situation in this paper is clearly different and deserves special treatment.

Professor Dan walked quickly through the corridor and opened the door of the research group's laboratory.

The room was filled with the familiar smell of chemical solvents and the slight hum of operating instruments.

Doctoral student Mark Thompson is staring intently at the charge and discharge curve data that keeps jumping on the computer screen.

"Mark, what's the situation?" Dan's voice was a little anxious.

arXiv's site-wide push means that the paper is spreading like a virus at this moment. This certainly doesn't matter academically, but on a commercial level, one minute earlier can give you more initiative.

Mark raised his head, his face mixed with excitement and fatigue. "Professor, we strictly followed the synthesis steps in the supplementary materials of the paper and successfully prepared the sample! The electrode sheet has also been packaged, but the test is still in progress. It will probably take tonight to output the complete results."

The efficiency was already very high, but Dahn couldn't wait any longer.

He leaned closer to the screen, his eyes fixed on the almost horizontal capacity decay curve and the stable voltage platform.

The starting capacity, 1670 mAh/g, is very close to the 1680 reported in the paper.

At the current 230th cycle, 1431 mAh/g, retention rate 85.7%! The curve shape is also highly consistent with that in the paper.

The results on the screen hit Professor Dahn like an electric current.

His breathing unconsciously became heavy and his heart beat strongly in his chest.

"Great...Great!" Dahn muttered in a low voice, feeling a huge sense of joy and a sense of witnessing history. "The data matches, it's basically verified!"

The spring, no, the summer, of lithium batteries may really be coming!

As the originator of the ternary lithium system, no one is more looking forward to seeing this day than Dahn.

"Professor, I have a question." At this time, Mark suddenly raised a concern.

"The paper claims that they have achieved 'atomic arrays' and 'chain structures', but neither the characterization results included in the paper nor the characterization results of our lab's samples can directly prove this." He pointed to the TEM images they made themselves displayed on another computer next to him, "Do you think we should ask the authors to... modify the relevant statements?"

Dan's eyes moved away from the cycle test data and looked at the slightly blurry TEM image that Mark showed him.

He pondered for a moment, then shook his head firmly: "Mark, your rigor is correct. In terms of the confirmation of the microstructure, this article may indeed have some ambiguity."

"But these details are no longer important." He tapped his finger heavily on the screen showing the cyclic test data. "Traditional randomly dispersed single-atom catalysts, or any known cobalt-based materials, can never achieve this kind of performance! This leap in macroscopic performance is real and subversive!"

He suddenly took out his cell phone, and while quickly looking through the address book, he said to Mark: "Immediately organize all the reproduction data, especially the cycle curve and capacity retention rate chart. The differences in microscopic characteristics will be temporarily recorded, but this is not the most critical thing now..."

As he spoke, he had already found the number and dialed it without hesitation.

……

Palo Alto, Silicon Valley, California.

Tesla headquarters.

Chief engineer Aaron Clark practically rushed into Elon Musk's office without even knocking.

He held a tablet tightly in his hands, the screen lit up, showing an email and the abstract page of a paper.

"Elon, I suggest that you immediately suspend the launch plan of Model S and Model X...at least the battery system and electrical architecture!" Clark's voice was filled with an unquestionable sense of urgency.

"Pause?" Musk, who was processing emails on the computer screen, looked up suddenly when he heard the words, as if he had heard the most ridiculous remarks. "Alan, Model S and Model X are our core products for turning losses around, attracting investment, and establishing market position, and they have already entered the development stage... Pause? What's the reason?"

Clark placed the tablet directly in front of Musk, with the arXiv page on the screen.

The title "Light field programmed atomic array to achieve ultra-stable electrochemical interface" is clearly visible.

"Because of this!" He tapped the iPad screen. "Someone has developed a new catalyst coating. If used on the electrode, it can easily double the energy density of current power batteries, and greatly improve the cycle life and safety."

Musk's eyes quickly scanned the data on the tablet, and his eyes quickly changed from initial astonishment to sharp scrutiny: "Data source? Reliability? This is just a preprint!"

"Professor Jeff Dane called me personally just twenty minutes ago!" Clark replied.

"Jeff Dane?" Musk was very familiar with the name.

He has tried many times to invite this giant in the lithium battery field to join Tesla as chief scientist, but has not yet received a final response.

"That's right." Clark nodded. "Professor Dan is the reviewer assigned by Nature, and he has already reproduced the core electrochemical performance data in the laboratory."

Musk fell into a brief silence, his mind racing.

Tesla currently uses 18650 cylindrical batteries, which had advanced single-cell energy density at the time, but were far from the level described in the paper.

Just as Clark worried, the designs of Model S and Model X are based on existing technology. If the technology in the paper can really mature and be industrialized in the short term, then these two models, which have been the product of great efforts and are about to become "benchmarks", will most likely lag behind in terms of core endurance and battery life indicators as soon as they are launched.

"Cost? Feasibility of mass production?" Musk asked the key questions.

"Unfortunately, the paper did not disclose in detail the core black box of the synthesis process, that is, the dynamic model that guides the precise control of laser parameters." Clark analyzed, "But the material itself is based on cobalt, carbon nanotubes, and hexagonal boron nitride, which are all known materials, and does not involve major modifications to the electrochemical system, so it is very likely to be applied."

Seeing that the other party did not respond, Clark continued: "We must adjust our strategy immediately. At least we should develop a higher-specification electrical architecture in advance to ensure that the vehicle can adapt to future new technologies."

Musk stood up and walked to the window, with huge risks and opportunities unfolding before his eyes.

"We need to make the market, investors, and the entire industry aware of the importance of this matter." After thinking for a few minutes, he turned around and gave a decisive order, "Alan, write a popular interpretation report on this new technology, focusing on its revolutionary performance indicators and its disruptive impact on electric vehicles, renewable energy storage, and even the entire electronics industry."

Clark looked puzzled: "Popular report?"

"I plan to mobilize the media to vigorously promote this technological breakthrough." Musk nodded: "So, the text must be impactful so that non-professionals can also understand its great significance."

"But... this technology clearly comes from a Chinese research institute." Clark showed a trace of concern, "If we mobilize the American media to promote China, will it affect the relationship between the company and... Washington?"

"Alan, you are looking at the problem from too narrow a perspective." Musk waved his hand decisively. "This technological breakthrough will benefit more than just one country or company. It will give birth to a new market worth trillions of dollars and attract unimaginable amounts of hot money to invest in the stock market..."

He patted Clark on the shoulder and said, "By then, the politicians won't even have time to be happy. They will just be busy dividing the cake instead of thinking about smashing the pot."

Everyone knows that the Donkey Party is backed by the financial tycoons of Wall Street, and it is impossible for them to resist such temptation.

Clark took a deep breath and completely understood his boss's strategic intentions.

This is not only for technological reserves, but also to seize the high ground of public opinion and deeply bind Tesla with the upcoming energy revolution, thereby attracting unprecedented capital investment.

"I understand." He picked up the tablet and quickly left the office. "The report will be on your desk by tomorrow morning at the latest."