Chapter 1565: Europeans can no longer hold back

"Lithium-sulfur battery..." Director Wan was immediately interested when he heard the term. "Can this material solve the shuttling effect of polysulfides and the volume expansion problem of the positive electrode material?"

This rhetorical question also made Chang Haonan stunned: "Director Wan also has research in this area?"

Lithium-sulfur batteries did not become a relatively hot research field until 2009, which is less than two years.

I didn't expect that the other party could directly point out the most urgent issue that needs to be resolved.

"Not really." The other person waved his hand. "At the end of the last century, when I was still working at Audi, I did some research in this area."

At this point, he paused, then revealed a nostalgic expression: "At that time, this thing was still a pure concept. I remember that it couldn't even be recharged. It could only be used as a battery relying on its considerable energy density... I didn't expect that now it is about to break through the last layer of window paper."

Chang Haonan nodded, with a hint of admiration in his tone: "Your impression is correct. It was not until 2002, after the adoption of the gel electrolyte system, that lithium-sulfur batteries truly had valuable charge and discharge capabilities."

The other party was able to pinpoint the current key points as soon as they opened their mouths, which was obviously impossible to do with just a survey from more than a decade ago.

It must be the result of continued attention to specific technologies.

However, since the other party was unwilling to talk more, Chang Haonan did not intend to delve into it, but directly began to answer the previous question.

"The volume expansion can be solved at the physical level. The macromolecules we designed contain sufficient multi-level pores and hollow structures, which can completely limit the diffusion of sulfur and lithium sulfide on a macro scale and inhibit volume expansion."

"As for the shuttling effect...it's actually quite complicated." Chang Haonan leaned over and clicked the mouse twice, and the virtual model on the screen zoomed in on a part. "So this is actually a series of materials - the active sites in the atomic array and the coordination sites in the carrier substrate. Different atoms can be replaced according to the actual situation, and the arrangement of the array itself can also be designed."

Director Wan lowered his head and thought for a moment: "Compared to conventional materials, there is one more degree of freedom in the form of array arrangement. Doesn't that mean that there can be almost infinite variations?"

"That's the theory, so I'm afraid that future papers on materials science will be filled with a lot of water..." Chang Haonan half-jokingly complained at first, but soon returned to seriousness: "However, there are probably only two or three types of two-dimensional arrangements that are actually valuable. If you include three-dimensional ones... that's about ten."

"That's an astronomical figure that's hard to imagine." Director Wan took two steps forward and came closer to the screen. "So, Academician Chang, you want to find one suitable for positive electrode and one suitable for negative electrode from this series of materials?"

"Almost the same." Chang Haonan nodded, "There are also ones used on both sides of the diaphragm... In fact, these two are the key to suppressing the shuttle effect."

"Isn't that right?" Director Wan turned to look at Chang Haonan: "With two more materials to be screened, the workload may not be as simple as doubling."

After hearing the other party's concerns, Chang Haonan suddenly laughed.

The smile is full of confidence in the technological breakthrough:

"In fact, that's what gave us the confidence to publish those findings."

Director Wan's eyes showed confusion, but he just waited for further explanation.

"Our work is assisted by computational materials science. Even if we cannot hit the target exactly, at least we can target the target. We only need to screen within a limited range.

Chang Haonan reached out and tapped the dazzling calculation formulas on the screen:

"Even if our competitors see and understand those patents and papers, they can only try their luck with a nearly blind method... Moreover, before trying their luck, they also need to solve the problem of laser programming in the synthesis process."

When it comes to scientific research, once you take the lead at the methodological level, you can gain an overwhelming advantage.

Director Wan took a deep breath. His inner shock and excitement were almost uncontrollable, but he still managed to control his expression well.

He finally understood Chang Haonan's intention of bringing him to see this.

"In short, Director Wan, you don't have to worry about this development plan." Chang Haonan flicked the report in his hand calmly, "The 'advancement' that those foreign giants are seeing now is just the taillights we deliberately showed them to catch up with..."

"..."

In fact, although the above series of interlocking designs cannot be said to be a temporary patchwork, it can at least be regarded as a half-way development.

Lithium-sulfur batteries are indeed the trump card he holds.

But this trump card was discovered incidentally during the previous research and was not part of the initial plan.

As for Chang Haonan's original idea, it was actually very simple -

Even if Panasonic or LG are allowed to compete with China at the same starting point, they will not be able to achieve leadership in the lithium battery field.

However, it is obvious that this explanation of "everything is under control" is more reassuring.

The other party's performance also proved this.

"Good! Good! Good!" Director Wan said "good" three times in a row, with a look of relief and excitement on his face. "In that case, the Science and Technology Committee will be waiting for your good news!"

Chang Haonan corrected with a smile: "As for the specific electrode materials, we should wait for the good news from Lianhai Institute of Chemical Physics."

"Oh?"

"The Torch Laboratory has a limited number of students to recruit and employ each year, and the number of researchers is not enough." Chang Haonan almost said the word "cow and horse", but fortunately he corrected himself in time, "So we are only responsible for solving the most core principles and calculation problems, while the material synthesis and testing will be handed over to the Lianhai Institute of Chemical Physics to complete."

Chang Haonan had no plans to get involved in the battery industry. Everything he had done in the past few months was initially just to obtain a TEM-APT combined equipment that could be used stably in commercial applications.

The real focus of Torch Lab remains negative refractive materials.

That is the killer move in the next stage.

Of course, even as the head of the Science and Technology Committee, Chang Haonan is not planning to disclose this matter for the time being.

At this moment, the door of the supercomputing center opened again.

Liu Chenchen walked in hurriedly: "Mr. Chang, Director Wan, sorry to bother you, there is an emergency call from Aviation Power Group, and it has just been transferred to your office."

Chang Haonan and Director Wan were both stunned.

"Academician Chang, since you have urgent business to attend to, I will not bother you any further." The latter turned around and signaled the entourage to prepare to leave. "I have learned a lot today. I will consult you in detail another day!"

He took the initiative to extend his hand and shook hands vigorously with Chang Haonan.

"Director Wan, take care. If you need my assistance with follow-up planning, please feel free to contact me."

Chang Haonan didn't bother to be polite anymore. He asked Liu Chenchen to see Director Wan off, and he quickly returned to his office on the top floor and picked up the red confidential telephone receiver.

"I'm Chang Haonan."

"Boss Chang, it's me, Ren Bingda."

A familiar voice came from the other end of the phone.

"Are there any new developments at EASA?" Chang Haonan asked excitedly, clenching his left fist slightly.

As early as three years ago, Ren Bingda was transferred from Gaofa to the headquarters of Aviation Power Group, where he was in charge of the airworthiness certification of the AE1500 turbofan engine and, more importantly, the negotiations on the China-EU airworthiness mutual recognition agreement.

This is the most critical link in determining whether the new generation of domestically-produced large aircraft such as the C919 can successfully enter the international market and participate in global competition.

Previously, although the AE1500 engine itself had excellent performance and the technical certification work was nearing completion, the negotiations involving the bilateral airworthiness mutual recognition agreement were difficult and progressed slowly due to the complex standard docking, procedural mutual trust, and even deeper economic and political games.

Although Rolls-Royce did continue to mediate as promised in the agreement, the negotiations still reached an impasse several times.

It is not unusual for an "emergency" call to come suddenly at this time.

"Yes." Ren Bingda's voice came from the other end of the phone, slightly hurried but with an unbelievable tone: "Just an hour ago, EASA's chief negotiator took the initiative to contact our negotiation team and said... they are willing to make constructive concessions on all subsequent pending negotiation details."

“Including the division of continuing airworthiness supervision responsibilities, the leading authority in accident investigations, and the unification of certification standards for some specific extreme working conditions, which were our biggest disagreements before… They almost completely accepted the framework of the plan we proposed before, and only asked for slight adjustments in some details of the expression!”