The Rise of the European Emperor

After obtaining the ether, Marin had someone wash it several times to remove the sulfuric acid and alcohol components, and then threw it to Da Vinci for animal anesthesia experiments. (The specific process will not be described)

Later, Marin, who had both concentrated nitric acid and ether, suddenly remembered the world's first smokeless powder, B powder, which was prepared by French chemists in 1884. The raw materials are nitrocellulose and paraffin, the specific production process will not tell you (nor dare to tell you)...

The preparation of B gunpowder is very simple, but the cost is too expensive. Because the ether in its raw material is made from alcohol, and alcohol is made from grain. Now that European food prices are so expensive, obviously the cost is very high. Moreover, Marin now has less concentrated sulfuric acid in his hands. After all, Wiltz's concentrated sulfuric acid in Cuba is a natural oxidation of sulfurous acid, which is a slow process and low output. As for the production of sulfuric acid by heating and oxidizing it with oxygen, Marin knows it, but it needs a catalyst V2O5... This is too professional, Marin doesn't know how to get it... So, it can only be obtained by soil methods, but the amount of sulfuric acid obtained is definitely a bit less……

Fortunately, the easiest way to produce superphosphate is to use sulfite, and that thing should not be too much when dealing with nickel sulfide laterite. Therefore, Marin decided that sulfuric acid was used to produce B gunpowder after concentration, and sulfurous acid was used to treat superphosphate. Moreover, in line with the principle of "it is better to pollute the environment in one place than to pollute the environment", Marin decided to transport all the apatites from Western Sahara to the Great Inagua Island, where Wiltz processes laterite nickel ore in Cuba. , made superphosphate on site. Then, superabsorbent superphosphate is transported back to the native land or local plantations in the Americas.

Superphosphate dissolves in water and is absorbed by crops in seconds. Therefore, it can not only be used as a base fertilizer in advance, but also can be used as a quick-acting top dressing during the growth process.

The instant superphosphate, combined with the equally instant native German potassium salt, can make agriculture more prosperous. In fact, the previous fertilizers, not to mention nitrogen fertilizers, manure blocks, and potash fertilizers are also very good. Germany has potash mines. After Marin found potash by flame reaction, he contracted several potash, and now it is specially used to make mixed fertilizer. That is, before using apatite as a phosphate fertilizer, the effect is a little worse. Now, with superphosphate, the shortcomings of fertilizer can be filled. Then, in the future, the yield per mu of rye and wheat may exceed 500 pounds, like 600 to 700 pounds or even 800 pounds. As for why you don't want thousands of pounds per mu? Mainly, the varieties of seeds are not good now... In addition to the dung blocks for nitrogen fertilizer, it is actually not much better than apatite. So, unless the seed problem is solved, and saltpeter as nitrogen fertilizer... but is it possible? Even if he wins the saltpeter mine in Chile, Marin will not be so extravagant as to use saltpeter as fertilizer...

Using superphosphate as a fertilizer, even if other European countries have found samples, they don't know what it is. After all, the appearance of superphosphate is very different from that of apatite. Even if someone steals a sample of superphosphate, they won't know what it is. At least not in this age.

However, superphosphate is acidic to a certain extent, and it is said that when fertilized in acidic soil, it will react with the acid salt in the soil and regenerate phosphate which is insoluble in water. Therefore, it should be pointed out that the acidity and alkalinity of the soil must be determined. It really doesn't work,

Can be used with limestone to increase alkalinity. In fact, most fertile soils, such as humus soils like black soil, are acidic and dark in color. Alkaline soils are mostly barren and are painted in lighter colors such as yellow and white.

Then there is the fact that generally acidic fertile soils are generally softer, just like the softness of teeth that are too acid. Alkaline soils are generally more compact and less breathable. Water it down and you'll see - loose, acidic soils seep down quickly, while hardened alkaline soils seep down more slowly.

Marin originally wanted to measure the pH of the soil, but that was more accurate. However, how the PH test strips are produced, Marin has no idea at all. After all, his chemical knowledge is only at the middle school level... Therefore, he can only use this "empirical" soil method to judge the acidity and alkalinity of the soil...

However, for Marin, most of the sites he controls are located in coastal areas, where water resources are abundant, and the soil contains a lot of humus, which are basically acidic soils. Therefore, it is necessary to add a little lime and mix with superphosphate for fertilization. As for the yellowish-white barren land, that's not necessary, anyway, the acidity of superphosphate is just right to neutralize the alkaline land...

Marin didn't know that because of the application of superphosphate, limestone must be used. As a result, a rumor spread that Marin used limestone as fertilizer and obtained high yields... Then, the whole of Europe competed to imitate...

But most of the fertile farmlands in Europe are acidic soils. After limestone is applied, there is actually an increase in production - although the increase in production is not large, at most 10% or 20%, but it is also very encouraging. However, a small part of the family's land is obviously dry and hard alkaline soil farmland, and they also follow the trend to apply limestone as fertilizer, and then the yield is lower...

...

Because the amount of concentrated sulfuric acid is very limited, Marin only made 20 barrels of smokeless powder B gunpowder this time. If you want more, you have to have enough concentrated sulfuric acid.

No, Marin just finished making B gunpowder, and Da Vinci came to the door again...

It turned out that, in order to test the effect of anesthesia, Ada had already anesthetized 5 sheep, three dogs and two cows in the palace... Then, when he ran out of ether, he ran over and asked Marin again...

However, Marin has already used all of it to make B gunpowder, where is there any ether left? Then, Da Vinci got angry and quarreled with Marin...

If an ordinary craftsman dared to stab him in front of him, Marin would have slapped his ears and slapped it—numb, wake up, and remember who you are...

However, for Da Vinci, Marin was a little helpless. This guy Marin is regarded as a treasure. After all, Da Vinci is the only scientist who can do it in this era. However, Ada, the old boy, probably knew this, and he actually put his nose on his face and dared to quarrel with him...

"You're arrogant because of your pet! See if I don't kill you..." Thinking of Da Vinci's value, Marin was really reluctant to kill each other. Moreover, what makes Marin speechless is that Da Vinci quarreled with him mostly because of scientific research, and he would never be arrogant and arrogant for no reason... Therefore, Marin can't do anything about him...

"Is there really no more sulfuric acid? I'm in dire need!"

"No, I used it all! Besides, this thing is only produced in Cuba." Marin said angrily.

"No, I remember when I was in Italy, many alchemists had sulfuric acid in their hands." Da Vinci said suspiciously.

"Italian... alchemist..." Marin was stunned for a moment, then overjoyed:

"Yeah, how did I forget those ancient chemists!"

There were no professional chemists in this era in Europe, and those who were engaged in chemical work were basically eccentric alchemists...

These alchemists mostly rely on the manufacture and sale of medicines (more poisons than medicines to cure diseases) to maintain their living and research, and at the same time have the dream of "turning a stone into gold"...

None of the above is the point, but the point is that some of these alchemists are indeed proficient in the manufacture of sulfuric acid. Moreover, sulfuric acid is also an important alchemical material...

The Italian region is volcanic and rich in sulfur. And many Italian alchemists are good at directly using sulfur to produce sulfuric acid, and then use it for alchemy research...

Marin is worried about the lack of sulfuric acid at the moment, why not directly recruit these Italian alchemists to help him make sulfuric acid.

However, considering the serious harm caused by sulfuric acid production to the environment, Marin decided to switch to another form of cooperation - to send a special chamber of commerce to Italy to purchase sulfuric acid from those alchemists who can produce sulfuric acid... In this way, it was avoided. Sulfuric acid production pollutes the country. As for the polluted air in Italy, is it none of his business?

In this way, Marin will not be short of sulfuric acid in the future. After all, although the production efficiency of sulfuric acid in this era is very low, it adds up. Marin can cooperate with alchemists all over Europe who know how to make sulfuric acid, and buy in large quantities. By then, there will be no shortage of sulfuric acid.

Of course, sulfuric acid is not only used to make ether and smokeless gunpowder. It also has other uses. For example, the soda ash produced by the Lublanc method, which is well known by Marin, requires a lot of sulfuric acid...