Chapter 202 Breakthrough in Carbon Nanotubes

Three months later, Gobi Desert.

Lin Mo stood at the entrance of the laboratory, looking at the tightly closed stainless steel door, his palms sweating slightly.

It had been three months.

For ninety full days, two thousand one hundred and sixty hours, he and his team had barely had a full night's sleep. Over eighty experiments, more than forty failures, over twenty equipment improvements, and a dozen formula adjustments—all their efforts were for this very moment.

"Senior Brother," Li Xiao walked up from behind and handed him a cup of water, "Don't be nervous, it will definitely succeed."

Lin Mo took the water, took a sip, and said nothing.

Li Xiao looked at his tightly pursed lips and sighed inwardly. Over the past three months, she had seen Lin Mo stay up until four in the morning, seen him sleep only six hours over three consecutive days, and seen him stare silently at a failed sample for an entire hour—but she had never seen him this nervous.

Today was different.

Today was the third attempt at continuous drawing of Carbon Nanotubess.

The first two attempts had failed. The first time, the fiber drawn was only 2.3 meters long with a strength of 42 GPa. The second time, it reached 17 meters, but the diameter was uneven and it broke once in the middle.

Today was the third time.

If it failed again, it would mean there might be a problem with the process route, and they would have to start over from scratch. That would waste at least another three months.

And what they lacked most was time.

Inside the laboratory, Section Chief Wu was performing the final equipment check.

Three months ago, Lin Mo had found him and proposed those demanding requirements—temperature control precision to within one degree, pressure control precision to within ten pascals, and a gas flow response time of zero point one seconds.

At that time, he said, "Academician Lin, you're trying to drive us to our graves."

But he did it anyway.

During those three months, he and a few people from the Equipment Section practically lived in the workshop. Drawing blueprints, making parts, modifying designs, and adjusting parameters—if it didn't work once, they did it twice; if twice didn't work, they did it ten times.

Finally, a week ago, the new equipment debugging was completed.

The precision met all the requirements.

"Section Chief Wu," Li Xiao leaned toward the intercom, "Are you ready?"

Section Chief Wu poked his head out from behind the equipment and gave an OK gesture.

Lin Mo took a deep breath and stepped into the laboratory.

Changing into a dust-proof suit and putting on gloves, Lin Mo stood before the CVD furnace.

Li Xiao followed behind, responsible for recording data. Zhao Gang stood outside the door, staring inside through the glass window—he wouldn't come in, but he had to be there.

Lin Mo turned on the control screen and pulled up the experimental program.

Catalyst: CF-17 Modified, iron-cobalt-nickel based, with trace rare earth elements added.

Temperature: 720°C, constant.

Pressure: 50 Pa, constant.

Carbon source gas: Ethylene, high purity.

Drawing speed: 1.2 mm/s.

All parameters were the optimal solutions refined from the previous eighty-plus experiments.

Lin Mo's finger hovered over the start button for two seconds.

Then he pressed it.

The equipment began to preheat.

On the screen, the temperature curve climbed slowly—200°C... 400°C... 600°C... 720°C. Stable.

The pressure began to drop—atmospheric pressure... 1000 Pa... 100 Pa... 50 Pa. Stable.

Gas began to flow—nitrogen purging... hydrogen reduction... ethylene introduction.

Lin Mo stared at the screen, motionless.

Li Xiao recorded every piece of data beside him, her hands trembling slightly.

Thirty minutes later, changes began to appear in the reaction chamber.

A thin, almost invisible fiber slowly grew from the catalyst substrate. Like a strand of spider silk, it was thin and long, fluttering slightly in the airflow.

"Start drawing," Lin Mo said in a low voice.

The automatic traction device started. The fiber was gently pulled, extending toward the collection wheel.

1 mm... 1 cm... 10 cm... 1 m...

On the screen, real-time data displayed the fiber's diameter, strength, and uniformity.

Diameter: 1.7 nm, deviation less than 3%.

Strength: Under real-time detection, not yet stabilized.

Uniformity: 99.2%.

Lin Mo's breathing almost stopped.

2 m... 3 m... 5 m... 10 m...

The fiber was still growing, still extending, without the slightest sign of breaking.

20 m... 30 m... 40 m... 50 m...

Li Xiao covered her mouth, tears already welling up.

60 m... 70 m... 80 m... 90 m...

100 meters!

"Stop." Lin Mo's voice trembled slightly.

The traction device slowly came to a halt.

On the screen, the final detection results popped up:

[Carbon Nanotubes Fiber]

Length: 100 meters (continuous)

Average Diameter: 1.72 nm

Tensile Strength: 76.3 GPa

Uniformity: 98.7%

Conclusion: Success

76.3 GPa.

95.4% of the theoretical value.

A world-leading level—at least double the capability of existing technology.

Lin Mo stared at the number, motionless.

Li Xiao finally couldn't help it and cried out:

"Senior Brother! We succeeded!"

She lunged forward to hug Lin Mo, then remembered she was wearing a dust-proof suit and stopped abruptly, crying and laughing where she stood.

Lin Mo slowly turned around and looked at her.

His eyes were red as well.

"We succeeded," he said, his voice very soft, as if confirming something to himself.

Then he smiled—the first real smile he had shown in these three months.

The laboratory door opened, and Zhao Gang was the first to rush in.

"How is it?" he asked, his voice an octave higher than usual.

Li Xiao pointed at the screen, unable to speak.

Zhao Gang stared at the number for a few seconds, then slapped his thigh hard:

"I knew Dr. Lin could do it!"

He reached out to pat Lin Mo's shoulder, then remembered he was also wearing a dust-proof suit. His hand hung in mid-air before turning into a thumbs-up.

"Dr. Lin, you are awesome!"

Lin Mo was amused by him: "Brother Zhao, where did you learn that word?"

"From TV!" Zhao Gang said matter-of-factly, "All the young people say it nowadays!"

Li Xiao laughed so hard she couldn't stand up straight.

The news quickly spread throughout the base.

Section Chief Wu crawled out from behind the equipment, staring at that 100-meter figure, his eyes turning red:

"Academician Lin, I've worked with equipment for forty years, and today is the most worthwhile day of my life."

Lin Mo shook his hand: "Section Chief Wu, it's because your equipment is excellent."

Section Chief Wu shook his head: "No matter how good the equipment is, someone has to know how to use it. You are the one who made this thing a reality."

Several people from the Equipment Section also crowded around, offering their congratulations all at once.

Lin Mo responded to each of them, then said:

"Everyone, this is only the first step. 100 meters is still a long way from the thirty-six thousand kilometers needed for the space elevator. There are even harder challenges ahead—continuous drawing, thousand-ton scale mass production, weaving processes—"

He paused, his gaze sweeping over everyone:

"But today, we proved that this path is viable."

That evening, the Canteen served a special meal.

Master Liu pulled out all the stops, preparing a table full of dishes. Braised pork, sweet and sour ribs, steamed sea bass, and braised prawns—all of everyone's favorites.

Lin Mo was ushered into the seat of honor, with Li Xiao on his left, Zhao Gang on his right, and Section Chief Wu and several key members opposite him.

Li Xiao stood up with her wine glass:

"The first toast is to Senior Brother! To Carbon Nanotubess!"

Everyone shouted in unison: "To Carbon Nanotubess!"

Lin Mo stood up with his glass and looked at this group of people—for three months, they had stayed up with him day and night without a single word of complaint.

"To everyone," he said, "Without you, I couldn't have accomplished anything alone."

After a few rounds of drinks, the atmosphere grew even warmer.

Zhao Gang had too much to drink again and was slapping the table while boasting: "I said Dr. Lin could do it! I've been saying it since three years ago!"

Li Xiao called him out from the side: "What you said three years ago was 'what kind of results can this bunch of nerds actually produce?'"

Zhao Gang was stunned: "I said that?"

"You did! I remember it clearly!"

Everyone burst into laughter.

Section Chief Wu walked over with his wine glass and sat next to Lin Mo:

"Academician Lin, what's the plan next?"

Lin Mo thought for a moment: "First, apply for acceptance and inspection, then start the design of the thousand-ton production line. Simultaneously, begin the preliminary research for the space elevator."

Section Chief Wu nodded: "Regarding the equipment, don't worry. Whatever you need, I'll provide."

Lin Mo looked at him and said seriously:

"Section Chief Wu, you should rest for a few days. These three months, you've been more tired than anyone."

Section Chief Wu waved his hand: "Rest? How many years of work do I have left in this life? While I can still move, I want to do more."

Lin Mo was silent for a moment, then raised his glass:

"Section Chief Wu, I toast to you."

The two clinked glasses and drained them.

Late at night, Lin Mo stood alone by the dormitory window.

His phone rang; it was a video call request from Chen Xueming.

"Old Lin!" Chen Xueming's face appeared on the screen, flushed with excitement, "I heard! 100 meters! 76 GPa!"

Lin Mo nodded: "Just succeeded."

"Awesome!" Chen Xueming slapped his thigh, "I knew you could do it! Old Lin, you're too awesome!"

Lin Mo was amused by him: "How are things on your end?"

"Not bad!" Chen Xueming said, "The site for the Guangdong Power Station has been selected, and construction starts next month. It's deadly hot here, but the seafood is really delicious."

"Take care of your health."

"I know, I know," Chen Xueming waved his hand, "Old Lin, let's talk business—now that the Carbon Nanotubess are a success, can the space elevator project begin?"

Lin Mo was silent for two seconds, then said:

"Soon. Once the thousand-ton production line is built, it will officially launch."

Chen Xueming's eyes lit up: "Then I'll come back to help when the time comes!"

"Do a good job with the Guangdong Power Station first," Lin Mo said, "That is your task."

Chen Xueming nodded solemnly: "Understood! I guarantee the mission will be completed!"

After hanging up the video call, Lin Mo continued to stand by the window.

Outside, the night on the Gobi Desert was deep, and the tokamak-3 device stood silently under the moonlight.

Further away was the starry sky.

That Dark Star was still there.

But now, humanity was one step closer to it.