Start as a top student and move towards the stars and the sea

As for Ning Chen's material, it was designed almost directly from scratch and is not closely related to other steel materials.

"Yes, it was almost designed directly. This is also a material design method that I mastered when I was studying iron-based superconductors."

When Ning Chen was studying the "1144" type iron-based superconductor, he designed the material directly from the bottom based on the theory summarized and analyzed from previous experiments.

Tao Wei also understood Ning Chen's method, nodded and said:

"Ning Chen, this material design technology is really a very innovative idea. If this method can continue to be extended to other types of materials, then the entire research on materials science may have disruptive effects. Variety."

"This method is still relatively difficult to promote. It has very high requirements on the type of materials, and it must have a very good understanding of the properties and mechanisms of the materials."

After confirming that Ning Chen's research results did have high application potential, Tao Wei was also thinking about how to deal with Ning Chen's research results next.

"In this case, Ning Chen, don't tell anyone else about this matter. Tomorrow I will find two steel material experts to come over and conduct a more detailed evaluation of this result."

"Okay, Academician Tao, I understand."

The next morning, Ning Chen received Luo Fang's notice and came to Tao Wei's office again.

Ning Chen saw two unfamiliar faces sitting in Tao Wei's office. One of them was similar in age to Tao Wei, and the other was slightly younger, but at least fifty or sixty years old.

It seems that it should be the steel material expert that Tao Wei found.

Seeing Ning Chen coming over, they both stood up and shook hands with Ning Chen very politely, which made Ning Chen feel that he was highly valued.

"Ning Chen, let me introduce to you. This is Academician Cheng Zhong and this is Professor Tian Shihao. They are both one of the top experts in the field of steel materials in China. Next, please tell me what you told me yesterday. Tell it to these two experts."

"Yes, Ning Chen, Academician Tao has already told us the general situation, but the more specific content needs to be explained by you personally so that we can better understand the content of your research." Cheng Zhong said.

After all, Tao Wei is not an expert in the field of steel materials, and this way of reporting will miss many important details.

Ning Chen was already prepared for such a situation. He took out his notebook and recounted what he told Tao Wei yesterday.

Cheng Zhong and Tian Shihao listened to Ning Chen's explanation very carefully, not daring to be distracted during the whole process for fear of missing any detail.

After listening to Ning Chen's story, Cheng Zhong and Tian Shihao both understood why Tao Wei was so anxious to find them.

"Ning Chen, from the theoretical point of view of your design of this steel material, this material will indeed have very outstanding properties. Not only is it stronger than any previous steel material, but it is also Very good corrosion resistance, stress corrosion cracking resistance, durability, microstructure, etc.”

Cheng Zhong gave a high evaluation to the steel material designed by Ning Chen. Being recognized by an expert like Cheng Zhong is enough to prove that Ning Chen's design plan is very rigorous, at least in theory.

At this time, Tian Shihao seemed to have discovered some problems and said to Ning Chen:

"Ning Chen, from a theoretical point of view, I also think your design is very exciting, and it is very possible to create a new generation of steel materials needed by the aviation and aerospace industries. But I am not sure. With our current technology, level, whether you can perfectly produce the material you designed."

Tian Shihao immediately found out the most critical point, which was also an issue that Ning Chen was worried about before.

"Yes, Professor Tian, ​​this is also a question that puzzles me. I don't understand the current level of steel material processing technology, and I don't know whether this material can be processed, so I came to the Chinese Academy of Sciences specifically. Seeking answers from experts.”

After all, designing materials and processing materials are two completely different fields. With Ning Chen's current ability, he cannot directly process this kind of steel material.

"Well, it doesn't matter. Scientific research work is definitely not that easy. In this case, you still have to cross the river by feeling the stones and constantly summarize and analyze during the experiment to determine a more appropriate processing method."

Ning Chen also felt that this was the right way. Maybe during the process of participating in the experiment, Ning Chen could think of some processing methods suitable for this material.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences attached great importance to Ning Chen's steel material design plan, and immediately set up a project team the next day to conduct research on the processing of this steel material.

Because this project has a high level of confidentiality, every member participating in the project, including Ning Chen, has signed a confidentiality agreement and cannot disclose any content during the research process to the outside world.

After the project started, Ning Chen followed the project team to conduct experiments every day.

Since Ning Chen is the designer of this material, during the experiment, everyone will confirm the details of various materials to Ning Chen from time to time.

During the actual operation, it was mainly carried out by other experts in the project team. Ning Chen acted more as an intern, carefully observing everyone's operations, learning the various processes of steel material processing, and looking for I also had the opportunity to do some experiments myself.

This made Ning Chen really come to the Chinese Academy of Sciences for a project internship as he said before.

However, after a period of internship, Ning Chen has become very familiar with various technologies of steel material processing, and is able to complete some operations on his own.

However, because this material is a brand-new steel material, we have not determined the final process plan and are still in the exploratory stage of experimentation.

On this day, Cheng Zhong and Tian Shihao called everyone together to discuss some of the various problems encountered in recent experiments and work together to study solutions to these problems.

"The first problem we need to solve is to avoid hydrogen embrittlement during the steel smelting process." Cheng Zhong said.

The so-called "hydrogen embrittlement" phenomenon refers to the phenomenon that hydrogen dissolved in metal polymerizes into hydrogen molecules, causing stress concentration. When the strength limit of the metal is exceeded, small cracks form inside the metal.

This phenomenon is very common in the process of material smelting, and once hydrogen embrittlement occurs, no method can reverse these phenomena.

Of course, this does not mean that the hydrogen embrittlement phenomenon cannot be completely solved. As long as the hydrogen embrittlement phenomenon can be prevented in advance and the occurrence of hydrogen embrittlement is avoided, the impact of hydrogen embrittlement can be greatly reduced.

After Cheng Zhong raised this issue, everyone discussed it and proposed several possible solutions.

However, because this new type of steel material is relatively special, Cheng Zhong and Tian Shihao do not have high expectations for this solution. They feel that these solutions may not be able to solve the hydrogen embrittlement problem of this material well.