Great Country Academician

Chapter 709: Go to prison to do your research!

If you want to say that the most exciting thing in this golden autumn of October is naturally the lithium-sulfur battery in the battery field.

Not long after the Sichuan Institute of Materials published a paper on lithium-sulfur batteries, claiming to have solved the problem of polysulfide diffusion and the shuttle effect, Professor Theresa Achille of the Argonne National Laboratory in the United States publicly claimed that her Experimental research data has been stolen or leaked.

The relevant information has not only been specially interviewed and reported by the media, but also detailed experimental data has been provided for comparison.

For a time, the entire chemical materials community and industry were talking about it.

Shortly afterwards, Argonne National Laboratory also submitted a paper on the stability of mixed carbon sodium and nitrogen doped materials to "monoclinic gamma sulfur" to "JACS" and made the news public through the media.

A scholar who collected two papers published by different research institutes was 'surprised' to find that the content and experimental data of the two papers were more than 90% similar.

Taking an overview of the whole article, it can be said that there are almost only some subtle differences between the two in some experimental steps, instruments and the carbon material that finally stabilizes the ‘monoclinic gamma phase sulfur’.

At this point, it is almost impossible to say that there is no connection between the two.

For a time, many people felt that even if the Sichuan-Hai Materials Research Institute did not steal data from Argonne National Laboratory, it would at least have access to their research and direction.

Otherwise the papers between the two would not be so similar.

But soon, careful scholars collected the papers and compared the laboratory data that Professor Theresa Achill had provided to the Chicago Tribune after being interviewed, and found that there were some detailed differences between the two. .

These differences are not very obvious, but they cannot escape the eyes of many scholars.

It is obvious that the paper published by Argonne National Laboratory this time is different from the laboratory data previously provided to the Chicago Tribune.

For example, before this, Argonne National Laboratory used various carbon elements, such as graphene, carbon nanotubes or carbon compounds, to stabilize 'monoclinic gamma phase sulfur'.

Now, in the latest published paper, the material that stabilizes the 'monoclinic gamma phase sulfur' has been replaced by the mixed carbon sodium nitrogen material mentioned by the Chuanhai Institute of Materials.

To put it another way, after announcing that its experimental data had been stolen, Argonne National Laboratory modified its experimental methods and procedures, and conducted them in accordance with papers previously published by the Sichuan and Hainan Institute of Materials Research.

No one in the academic world is too surprised by this.

After all, the Sichuan-Hai Materials Research Institute has completed the solution to the polysulfide diffusion problem in lithium-sulfur batteries, and it is normal for Argonne National Laboratory to adjust the experimental direction according to the corresponding paper.

But all in all, this adjustment method is a bit too deliberate.

Even if Argonne National Laboratory can find evidence of plagiarism by the other party, its own research will fall into the inferior category.

After all, judging from the current behavior, it is inevitable to reverse plagiarize the results of others.

Because the mixed carbon sodium nitrogen material to stabilize the ‘monoclinic gamma phase sulfur’ is the result of the Chuanhai Materials Research Institute, this is a certain fact.

Of course, the focus of the chemical community is not here. Just have fun with things like quarreling.

The focus of the chemical community is on solving the problem of polysulfide compound diffusion and shuttle effect in lithium-sulfur batteries.

This is the biggest problem in lithium-sulfur batteries!

In a short period of time, both research institutions have shown that this problem has been effectively solved, which has greatly stimulated many research institutions and laboratories in the chemical community.

Many research institutions that did not originally conduct replica experiments have joined in the replica action.

At the same time, the first batch of research institutions to conduct replica experiments on the Sichuan-Hai Institute of Materials Research paper reports have also completed the first batch of replica experiments.

The results of the experiment are not very ideal. The mixed carbon-sodium-nitrogen material mentioned in the paper has the effect of stabilizing the 'monoclinic gamma phase sulfur' crystal, but it is far less than the data in the papers published by the two laboratories.

If this problem occurs in just one replica laboratory, there may be a problem with the replica experiment itself.

But as time goes by, more and more experimental structures reproduced by experimental institutions have such problems, and the situation suddenly becomes weird. It cannot be that all replica experiments have problems, right?

Based on this particular situation, there are two generally accepted views in the chemical community.

The first is that both the Sichuan-Hai Materials Research Institute and the Argonne National Laboratory have problems with their research. There are problems with the published papers and data, and there are suspicions of data falsification and exaggeration. They have not truly solved the problem of polysulfide diffusion. and shuttle effect.

The other is that experimental steps or key processes are hidden in the papers published by both parties, causing the results copied by other research institutions and laboratories based on the papers to not meet the standards.

The results of the replica experiment once again set off a new wave of enthusiasm for lithium-sulfur batteries in the chemical materials and battery industries.

In terms of possibility, both are entirely possible.

Falsification and exaggeration of experimental data is nothing unusual in academia.

Although the Chuanhai Institute of Materials is the laboratory of Professor Xu Chuan, it was not him who published the paper after all.

As for public papers hiding experimental steps and key processes, this is not unusual.

For many products or technologies, sometimes in order to obtain more benefits or to maintain confidentiality, they will choose to apply for only part of the patent and disclose part of the technology.

In this way, on the one hand, you can obtain patents and obtain licensing benefits, and on the other hand, you can also draw benefits that last for more than twenty years through confidential technology.

Of course, in the early stage, you have enough confidence in your own products, and you are confident that the products or technologies will not be deciphered after they are released.

Otherwise there would be cheaper imitations everywhere.

With the strange results of replicating experiments, the chemical materials and battery communities have become lively again.

The melon-eating crowd on the Internet was once again divided into two halves, expressing their opinions one after another.

[Did you hear that? Reproduction experiments aimed at polysulfide compound diffusion and shuttle effect problems in lithium-sulfur batteries have failed! 】

【WTF? 】

[Looking at it, it seems that whether it is a copy of a paper published by the Sichuan Institute of Materials Research or a paper published by Argonne National Laboratory, it does not meet the standards. 】

[Is there something wrong with the replica experiment? How could Chuanshen's research go wrong? 】

[Everyone makes mistakes, and your God of Sichuan is no exception! 】

[You guys above are mistaken. Sichuan Shen did make mistakes, but the research on lithium-sulfur batteries was not done by Sichuan Shen. It was independently developed by the laboratory under his name and has nothing to do with Sichuan Shen. 】

[It’s interesting. Both the replica experiments failed. Does that mean the research at the Sichuan-Hai Institute of Materials Science and Technology and the Argonne National Laboratory failed? 】

[It cannot be concluded yet that the replica experiment is just a replica experiment. Maybe the experimental procedures and data are hidden in the two published papers? This requires them to stand up and explain. 】

There are heated discussions on the Internet. The failure of many replica experiments means that there is a high probability that the papers published by the two research institutions are problematic.

In this case, both the Sichuan-Hai Materials Research Institute and the Argonne National Laboratory have the obligation and responsibility to stand up and explain the results of the replica experiment.

At a time when there was a lot of discussion, Sichuan-Hai Materials Research Institute took the lead in standing up and responding.

The response was also quite special. The institute did not explain the correctness of the paper. Instead, it prepared dozens of lithium-sulfur battery experimental samples and mailed them to these research institutions that were conducting replica experiments.

Speaking with facts, this is the solution given by Xu Chuan, and it is also a means to expand the reputation of lithium-sulfur batteries.

In fact, as soon as Professor Theresa Achille of Argonne National Laboratory made the paper public, the Sichuan-Hai Institute of Materials organized personnel to replicate the experiment according to their steps.

The test data of the lithium-sulfur batteries replicated by six experimental groups are almost consistent with those of other experimental institutions in the chemical materials industry.

This means that Argonne National Laboratory's predictions are average, but the real path and technology have not been found.

The stability of the simple mixed carbon-sodium-nitrogen material in the 'monoclinic gamma phase sulfur' crystal is far behind the graphite lattice material that forms pentagonal defects by breaking the integrity of the conjugation.

It also means that Grandpa National Laboratory has stepped into the trap in their paper.

Of course, this cannot be said to be a trap. It can only be said that Argonne National Laboratory chose to take shortcuts in order to develop lithium-sulfur batteries.

But what Xu Chuan didn't understand was why the inhibitory effect on polysulfide compounds in the other party's published paper was almost the same as their real data.

In the office, after hearing Xu Chuan's doubts, Fan Peng, who was sitting on the sofa and looking at the replica experiment result report, thought for a moment and said, "Maybe the experimental data is exaggerated?"

"Um?"

Fan Pengyue smiled and joked: "Is it possible that Professor Theresa Achill thinks that the paper we published is the real technology?"

"Mixed carbon-sodium-nitrogen materials are indeed effective in stabilizing the 'monoclinic gamma phase sulfur' crystal. This is also a direction we have verified a long time ago, but we gave up when it failed to meet the standards."

When Master Xiong said this, Xu Chuan immediately turned a corner that he didn't expect to understand, and then continued: "If he thought that the mixed carbon sodium and nitrogen material is the material that stabilizes the 'monoclinic gamma phase sulfur' crystal."

"Perhaps he will think that the failure of the first experimental data to meet the standards is just a small problem such as not finding the correct addition ratio. Maybe he can't wait to make the news and success public?"

Fan Pengyue nodded with a smile and said: "That's right. Anyone who discovers the stability of mixed carbon, sodium and nitrogen materials for the first time when re-engraving will think that this is the right path, right?"

"We also struggled in this direction for two or three months, until we finally gave up after trying all the doping and addition ratios."

"This mechanism is so misleading. I'm afraid anyone who comes will have to step into a trap first."

"It's not unusual for Professor Theresa Achille to get involved in this. His only mistake was probably that after the experiment was completed, he didn't conduct a comprehensive test and hurriedly found the optimal doping ratio. Making success public.”

Hearing this, Xu Chuan thought for a moment and said with a smile: "If that's the case, then he will probably be very anxious now, right?"

Fan Pengyue grinned and did not answer the question directly.

But the joy in his eyes said everything.

Do you really think that he has relied on connections for all the years he has controlled the Sichuan-Hai Materials Research Institute?

Meanwhile, on the other side.

Argonne National Laboratory in Illinois, USA, surrounded by the Chicago Forest Preserve.

Just as Xu Chuan had guessed, Professor Theresa Achill was already in a dire situation at this moment.

Information about the failure of replica experiments by many research institutions will naturally be known to the leaders of Argonne National Laboratory, the U.S. Energy Corporation, the Patent Office and other departments and personnel who support their own laboratories.

They immediately found Professor Theresa Achill, the general manager of the lithium-sulfur battery project, and asked for relevant experimental data to understand the relevant situation.

Facing the questioning of her immediate boss, Theresa Achill confessed all the data and experimental process with a pale face.

After all, you can't hide something. The experimental data is there, and it can be revealed just by looking at it.

"Shet! Damn it! Why didn't you tell me earlier!"

After learning the truth of the matter, the head of the Argonne National Laboratory/Institute for Energy and Global Security stared at the pale Theresa Achill with an angry face, banged the table and cursed angrily.

Originally, they thought that lithium-sulfur batteries would be their huge breakthrough, allowing them to take the lead in the trillion-level lithium battery market.

For this reason, they braved international pressure to reject the other party's patent application, and even severed cooperation with the Sichuan-Hai Materials Research Institute, halted the advancement of a series of projects such as controllable nuclear fusion reactors, and paid a huge price.

And then turned around and told him that their breakthroughs were all false?

Opposite, Theresa Achille lowered her head and said: "We still have a chance. Although the stabilizing effect of mixed carbon, sodium and nitrogen doped materials is not so ideal, the 'monoclinic gamma phase sulfur' crystal can solve many problems. The diffusion issues and shuttle effects of sulfur compounds are a definite fact."

"As long as we can continue along this route, we still have a chance to solve this problem."

Theresa Achill opened her mouth to fight for a chance for herself, even though he knew very well that it was almost impossible to solve the problem of lithium-sulfur batteries along the path of 'monoclinic gamma phase sulfur'.

But he must open this mouth, because in this way he can have a chance of survival and a chance of value. Rather than being directly sent from heaven to hell.

Across the way, the head of Argonne National Laboratory/Institute for Energy and Global Security stared at Theresa Achill with evil eyes, wanting to eat him.

This damn idiot was tricked by others and still treated the trash he picked up as treasure. He even tricked the entire Argonne National Laboratory, the entire American battery industry and the industry because of it!

Damn idiot, you still want to continue research? Go to jail and do it!