Ever since the breakthrough in lithium-sulfur battery technology, all kinds of debates about the future of batteries had been settled. Both the academic community and the industry had tacitly agreed to put it on the throne of the new era.
A large number of aluminum-ion batteries had been eliminated. Instead, major companies and R&D units had quietly adjusted their research direction. They began to research on how to increase the energy density and safety of lithium-sulfur batteries based on "modified PDMS materials and HCS-2 materials".
The reason for this was that lithium was like a bug in the battery field. In theory, no material could surpass lithium, which was ranked third on the periodic table, in terms of energy density per unit mass.
Considering various factors such as volume and quality, at least in the field of chemical batteries, lithium materials were almost at the pinnacle, and lithium-air batteries raised this pinnacle to a whole new level.
If Lu Zhou wanted to surpass it, it would be impossible to simply improve the material. He could only look for this possibility outside of chemical batteries. For example, putting aside the electrochemical properties of the material itself, exploring the mechanism, developing fusion batteries, and so on …
However, just when everyone thought that the lithium-sulfur battery industry would be stable for at least the next 50 years …
This tacit silence was completely broken by a paper published in JACS in mid-March!
Two parents were squatting on the ground in front of a kindergarten in Jinling. They were smoking and bragging. Because they were both car lovers, the topic of their conversation soon turned to the noon news.
"Did you hear?"
"Hear what?"
"The Jinling Institute for Advanced Study seems to have developed a lithium-air battery! Apparently, it can double the energy density of the original lithium-sulfur battery. "
Upon hearing this, the bald car owner's eyes widened.
"Seriously?! It's all lithium batteries, doubling the energy density is ridiculous. I think it can give the car a range of one or two hundred miles. "
The skinny car owner pushed his glasses up and shook his head.
"Who knows, I don't know what the experts are talking about. But … If I think about it, it's actually possible. After all, lithium-air, lithium-air, doesn't that mean using air as the positive electrode? "
"… Yes, what's wrong?"
"Think about it, if you use air as the positive electrode, doesn't that mean you have no weight? If the mass of the entire positive electrode was omitted, wouldn't the energy density increase? There might be some problems with my explanation, but this is the logic! "
Upon hearing this, the bald car owner finally understood.
However, as soon as he reacted, his ferocious face immediately collapsed. He frowned and slapped his thigh.
"F * ck, I just got a new car! And it's a freaking Tesla Model S! "
The lanky owner was shocked.
"F * ck, I couldn't tell. He's a tycoon!"
"Nouveau riche?" The bald car owner flicked the cigarette butt with a bitter face and said, "I've suffered a huge loss this time."
The lanky owner was grinning from ear to ear. He didn't know if he was gloating or glad that he wasn't in a hurry to change his car. He smiled and comforted him.
"It's okay, it's okay. It'll probably take a while for the technology to mature. You can just keep it on for now. Maybe this thing can be replaced like the interior. Also, you're just a consumer, what's there to worry about? The electric car manufacturers don't have to worry about that. Haha, luckily I didn't change my car, I'll wait for half a year! "
Similar dialogues were repeated in different forms in many places.
However, the CTV International News Channel report was only the beginning.
While the lithium-air battery and Professor Lu's name were on the international news, there were all kinds of headlines about this research.
[Lithium-air battery is born! New energy industry ushers in a new round of revolution?]
[Western Pacific's science monster! Another world-class achievement is born in China!]
[A small battery is changing the world!]
[Energy giants call the White House overnight, predicting that the US dollar is in jeopardy, we must stop the Chinese from attacking oil prices!]
[…]
The only thing that could beat lithium batteries was lithium batteries.
Because of this storm, not only did people's impression of lithium-sulfur batteries change, but it also freed people's imagination of the concept of "lithium-air batteries".
Even though the oil price didn't fluctuate significantly because of this … at least it wasn't as crazy as when lithium-sulfur batteries first came out. However, at this moment, a deafening roar came from the ExxonMobil CEO's office in the Texas headquarters building.
"F * ck!"
Woods slammed his fist on the table and swept the newspapers and documents off the table. He was furious like a wounded lion as he cursed angrily.
"This shameless thief! Bug! Liar! "
His chest rose and fell violently. He tried to calm his breathing, took a deep breath, and calmed himself down a little. Then, he suddenly looked at his secretary, who was sitting at the desk next to him, trembling with fear.
"Get the files right now! I want to know in five minutes which company bought the caged carbon molecule patent six years ago! "
The main impact of lithium-air batteries was on lithium-sulfur batteries. Even though it would improve the market competitiveness of alternative energy vehicles in the long run, it wouldn't have much of an impact on oil prices in the short run.
However …
This patent originally belonged to them!
If it was a pile of waste paper, that would be fine, but it suddenly became a key material for lithium-air batteries! The feeling of selling a basket of gold like it was a pile of sh * t made his heart ache.
His only hope was that Lu Zhou and Star Sky Technology hadn't realized this yet, and they still had time to buy back the patent …
However …
Reality was cruel.
His secretary's trembling voice made him forget about his insincere prayer.
"The patent was bought by a foreign trade company registered in California … It was canceled about three years ago."
Woods' heart skipped a beat, and a bad premonition crept into his heart.
However, he still couldn't believe it.
Or rather, he didn't dare to believe in that terrifying hypothesis …
Woods clenched his fists and spoke to his secretary in a trembling voice, "Find the patent number! I want to know who owns the patent right now. "
He swore that as soon as he found out which company owned the patent, he would do everything he could to make up for his mistake! He also believed that with ExxonMobil's financial strength, they could definitely do this.
All he had to do was buy a shareholder who wasn't that firm, then he could walk into the board of directors of the company and present an irresistible merger agreement to all of the shareholders.
It would be even better if the other party was a listed company. He would have more room to maneuver.
"Searching …"
Before the secretary could finish her sentence, her hands suddenly froze on the keyboard.
A bitter expression appeared on his face. Even though he knew that this answer would probably make his boss go crazy, he still replied in a trembling voice in the face of that oppressive gaze.
"The company that owns the patent is …"
"Star Sky Technology."
Star Sky Technology …
Woods' shoulders relaxed. He didn't get angry. Instead, he had a bitter smile on his face.
At this moment, he finally understood everything.
Ever since the experiment six years ago, when the assistant leaked the model to Professor Stanley, this trap had been set.
Not only did that Chinese man deliberately leak the information, but he also used ExxonMobil's resources and Professor Stanley's research team to complete the key research on lithium-air batteries. He also used the lithium-sulfur battery as a cover to make them throw away the patent. Then, six years later, they took it out again …
The more Woods thought about it, the more scared he became. A drop of sweat rolled down his forehead.
That man …
He had actually managed to calculate six years into the future.
Was this even something a human would do?
This is so scheming.
This is terrifying …
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