101: Chapter 101 Breakthrough in Lunar Scientific Research: The Birth of Ultrapure Materials
Just as the second resident team fully took over the "Guanghan Palace" base and various tasks were unfolding in an orderly manner, exciting news for the entire Dragon Country scientific community came from a cutting-edge materials laboratory within the base labeled "Prometheus."
The Moon, a natural ideal experimental environment with microgravity, high vacuum, and no magnetic field interference, was transforming its unique advantages into tangible technological breakthroughs. Led by Chief Materials Scientist Dr. Liu Xin, the team built upon the special alloy theories previously provided by Lin Mo. Combining these with lunar in-situ resources and successfully utilizing electromagnetic levitation melting and containerless processing technologies, they prepared an ultra-pure Zirconium-Titanium-Tantalum Multi-element Alloy that is nearly impossible to synthesize on Earth.
In the core area of the laboratory, within a sealed chamber surrounded by complex laser measurement and electromagnetic field devices, a fist-sized metal ingot shimmering with a deep silver-gray light floated quietly. Its surface was as smooth as a mirror, and under microscopic imaging, its internal structure showed a near-perfect periodic arrangement, with impurity levels controlled at an almost inconceivable one-part-per-billion level.
"Preliminary testing of all performance data is complete!" a young researcher stared at the screen, his voice trembling slightly with excitement. "Dr. Liu, the tensile strength has reached 3.2 GPa, far exceeding the best samples we've prepared on Earth! High-temperature stability... at 1500 degrees Celsius, the strength only decays by 7%! Preliminary assessment of radiation resistance shows an improvement of two orders of magnitude compared to current alloys used in space stations!"
Dr. Liu Xin adjusted her glasses and carefully reviewed every line of data, her face showing irrepressible joy. She spoke into the communicator in the lab, reporting to the base commander, Zhao Xiaopeng: "Commander Zhao, we succeeded! Every metric of the 'Luna-I' ultra-pure alloy has exceeded expectations. This will be the ideal material for building pressure hulls for future deep-space probes, first-wall materials for fusion reactors, and high-energy particle protective armor!"
The news was instantly transmitted back to Earth via quantum link.
At the Earth Command Center, Elder Chen and numerous academicians and experts in the field of materials science were all shocked as they looked at the transmitted data and high-definition images of the alloy samples.
"Incredible! Simply incredible!" a white-haired old academician praised repeatedly. "On Earth, gravity convection and container contamination are problems that cannot be fundamentally solved, restricting our progress toward higher purity and better performance materials. The lunar environment is simply a paradise for materials science!"
"It's not just the zirconium-titanium-tantalum alloy," another expert added. "According to the report from the 'Prometheus' lab, they are attempting to use elements like silicon, aluminum, and oxygen from Lunar Regolith to perform atomic-level arrangement at the microscopic scale. They have also made breakthrough progress in preparing new photonic crystals and superconducting thin films! These materials are crucial for future quantum computers, high-efficiency energy transmission, and stealth technology!"
The value of the "Guanghan Palace" base was perfectly demonstrated at this moment. It was no longer just an outpost or a survival base, but a "super laboratory" capable of birthing disruptive technologies. The unique environment of the Moon, combined with the advanced theories obtained by Dragon Country through "Patriot X," was catalyzing a revolution in materials science.
On the internet, once the news about the "Lunar Breakthrough in Ultra-Pure Materials" was officially disclosed, it immediately sparked a nationwide discussion.
"My god! Are materials forged on the Moon already this powerful?"
"Does this mean our future spaceships will be sturdier and more durable?"
"Kneeling before the scientists of 'Guanghan Palace'! This is the true technology of the sea of stars!"
Inside the "Torch Dragon" safe house, Lin Mo looked at the results report from the "Prometheus" lab, and the system interface quietly provided an evaluation:
[Detection of an upgrade in the civilization's basic industrial material level. Associated Tech Tree: 'Interstellar Materials Science' unlock progress +5%.]
[Hidden Quest 'Alien Factory' completion: 1%. Reward points: +2000.]
The corners of Lin Mo's mouth curled up slightly. This was only the beginning. The breakthrough in lunar research, like a giant lever, would inevitably drive an explosive chain reaction of technological development in fields such as energy, propulsion, and defense.
These new materials born on the silent far side of the Moon were like a silent declaration, foretelling that the swords and shields forged by Dragon Country would not be limited to Earth, but would truly possess the confidence to pierce deep space and meet unknown challenges.