The results from the Materials Research Institute are very gratifying.
"Currently, we have achieved more than 3,000 research results and received application feedback in various industries and fields. The results are very good. When this year's graduates join, we can carry out more projects."
The person in charge, Yin Zhisheng, accompanied Zuo Mengeng and introduced him very proudly.
Zuo Mengeng was very patient and carefully examined various research results.
"Material science is never-ending. The formulas and structures that seem perfect now may fall behind in the future. Therefore, you must not be complacent. You must always maintain your original intention and keep exploring forward."
As the saying goes, biochemical environmental materials are the four major sinkholes.
Among them, the pitfalls of materials science are endless.
As the times develop, the requirements for materials are also changing with each passing day and getting higher and higher. Materials that can satisfy the present will show shortcomings in the future.
Apart from constant research and experimentation, there is no trickery in this field.
Everyone in the institute understood Zuo Mengeng’s words best and kept them in mind.
"Currently we have two main research directions. Taiwan sent rubber, which is a brand-new material. We plan to explore it and see how many uses we can develop. The other one is ship steel, navy and In terms of ships, the feasibility of iron-clad ships is already being explored, and the strength and corrosion resistance of steel are very critical."
The Materials Research Institute is very large and can be roughly classified into multiple departments such as metals, non-metals, composite materials, energy materials, building materials, clothing materials, and biological materials.
Material science intersects and influences each other with other disciplines, so there are more detailed classifications under these departments.
It is precisely through these complicated departments and research that the empire's rapid development is supported.
However, on top of these basic projects, the Institute of Materials also knows how to concentrate its efforts on big things.
The two projects mentioned by Yin Zhisheng are the current focus of the Materials Research Institute.
Although rubber has just come out and currently only plays a role in transportation, it is enough to make the world aware of its value.
Therefore, Taiwan quickly sent the samples to the Materials Research Institute, hoping that scientific researchers could analyze them in detail and expand their application fields.
Taking the report provided by Taiwan, the Materials Research Institute was greatly shocked. At the same time, out of curiosity about new materials, they decided to increase research efforts.
Zuo Mengeng could only encourage him.
No one knows better than him how broad the application scope of rubber is and what impact it will have on industrial production and social life.
However, he did not interfere.
Seeing that the scientific research field is on the right track, everything is moving in the right direction. Even without his guidance, the empire's scientific researchers will eventually produce gratifying results.
He only mentioned a little bit about the field of marine steel.
"At present, the performance of steam engines still has adaptability problems on the ocean. In addition, there is still a lot of room for improvement in wooden sailing ships. Therefore, ironclad ships are not yet urgent. You still have to concentrate on other places. The field of marine steel will follow the trend. Just be natural."
It's not that Zuo Mengeng doesn't know the benefits of armored ships, but there are practical reasons for it.
The performance of the steam engine is certainly one aspect, as well as benefits and costs.
The empire's industrial technology has developed rapidly over the years, and updates are inevitably somewhat frequent.
But upgrading will bring another problem.
That is, the previous technology has just been put into production and the cost has not been recovered before a new technology appears.
This is very embarrassing.
Using new technologies will incur huge costs, while old technologies do not produce sufficient benefits. This back and forth will cause the empire to suffer huge losses.
This is the case in the field of ships.
Nowadays, the construction technology of Galenic sailing ships is relatively mature in the empire, and the emergence of first-class battleships also indicates that wooden sailing ships are beginning to reach their peak.
It can be said that within a few decades from now, it will be a golden period for the empire to reap benefits from the field of shipbuilding.
If the ironclad ship is broken through at this time, will many shipyards need to be transformed?
Do corresponding workers need to be trained?
Do the various supporting links need to be upgraded?
Will so many boats that have just been launched be eliminated one by one?
This is obviously not in the interests of the empire.
It is precisely in view of this that Zuo Menggeng decided to slow down the research and development of iron-clad ships in related fields and give wooden sailboats more room to play.
Anyway, based on the current level of equipment, the Imperial Navy is already far ahead of the world.
Unless other countries can achieve significant improvements in sailing and artillery technology and pose a sufficient threat to the empire's ships, there is no need to update them too quickly.
"Where's your master?"
After walking around the huge materials research institute, Zuo Menggeng was quite surprised to see no trace of Chen Shuangjin.
This founder of the imperial chemistry field was a veritable scientific research madman who spent almost all his time in the laboratory.
As a result, there is no one there now.
Speaking of this, Yin Zhisheng smiled bitterly.
"Master was captured by Fang Mizhi and is studying electricity."
"What, has Fang Yizhi achieved a breakthrough in his research?"
Zuo Mengeng couldn't sit still immediately.
When Fang Yizhi first came to the empire, Zuo Menggeng paid great attention to him because of his reputation as the first of the four princes in the late Ming Dynasty.
As a result, after a long conversation, Zuo Mengeng discovered that Fang Yizhi’s talent in the field of physics far exceeded his cultural literacy.
This is obviously a top scientific talent who was buried by the chaos in the late Ming Dynasty.
To this end, Zuo Mengeng specially provided guidance.
In order to attract Fang Yizhi, he told some theories about electricity.
Sure enough, Fang Yizhi immediately took the bait and happily joined the empire's scientific research team, diving headfirst into the field of electricity.
To be honest, Zuo Mengeng was not sure whether he could make any achievements in the field of electricity in the seventeenth century.
Anyway, throughout modern history, progress in all scientific fields has a strong flavor of barbarism.
Many scientists have actually made various attempts with crazy ideas. Although they inevitably failed, they have also become important drivers of world progress.
Even if Fang Yizhi’s research fails in the end, it’s not a big deal. It can provide reference and theoretical basis for those who come after him.
Now Fang Yizhi actually pulled Chen Shuangjin over. It was obviously a critical moment.
Thinking of this, Zuo Mengeng could no longer sit still and went directly to Fang Yizhi's laboratory.
If the world could usher in artificial light more than two hundred years earlier, it would be enough to comfort him throughout his life.
(Not available today!)
