12: Chapter 012 Second Verification: Laboratory Miracle
Just a moment before Lin Mo pressed the switch, deep within the Qianlong Base, Lin Mo wasn't the only one racing against time.
The physical synthesis experiment of the Lunar Regolith Solidifier, listed as the highest priority of the Chasing Light Project, was being conducted intensely in a fully enclosed materials laboratory at the biosafety level. Unlike Lin Mo's "handicraft workshop" in his rental apartment, this was the sanctuary of materials science in the Dragon Nation, gathering the country's top equipment and most rigorous minds.
Elder Chen personally took charge of the command center, observing every step in the laboratory through thick explosion-proof glass. Long Zhantian stood like a guardian deity at the entrance of the command center, ensuring no accidents would interfere with this historic moment. Su Xiaowan was also present, her task being to monitor all data streams to ensure the experimental process wasn't peeked at by any external signals.
The experiment was led by a middle-aged materials science expert surnamed Zhao, an authority in the field of inorganic non-metallic materials in the country. At this moment, wearing goggles and looking solemn, he personally operated the robotic arm according to the process flow provided in the Patriot X materials, feeding precisely weighed basic raw materials—several common mineral powders with abundant reserves and low costs in the Dragon Nation—into a special high-temperature reaction vessel.
"Raise the temperature to 1,350 degrees Celsius and maintain a pressure of 3 standard atmospheres." Professor Zhao's voice came through the microphone, with a trace of imperceptible tension in his calm tone.
The reaction vessel began to work, and the internal situation was transmitted in real-time to the large screen via a high-temperature resistant camera. Everyone held their breath, especially those experts who had once questioned the theory. Theoretical feasibility does not mean practical success; any tiny parameter deviation could lead to all previous efforts being wasted.
Time passed minute by minute. According to the description in the materials, the reaction should last for 45 minutes under specific temperature and pressure.
"The reactants are appearing in a molten state... The color is changing, transitioning from dark red to bright white..." the observer reported in real-time.
"Detected the expected gaseous by-products, the composition matches the calculated values!" The staff in front of the analytical instruments spoke with surprise in their voice.
The atmosphere in the command center loosened slightly, but Elder Chen still frowned, staring intently at the screen. The most critical step was adding the core catalyst precursor codenamed "K-01." This was the soul of the entire synthesis path, and its molecular structure was so exquisite that it still left the experts in the theory group in awe.
"Prepare to inject K-01," Professor Zhao ordered after taking a deep breath.
A trace amount of silver powder was precisely sent into the reaction vessel by high-pressure gas.
The moment the catalyst touched the molten material, the image on the large screen changed dramatically! The originally slow-flowing bright white molten material seemed to be injected with life, suddenly becoming active. Its color quickly shifted into a dark gray with a metallic texture, and it became viscous at a rate visible to the naked eye!
"Viscosity is rising sharply!"
"Temperature field is stable!"
"The reaction rate exceeds conventional silicate curing reactions by more than a hundred times!"
A series of data reports sounded, filled with unbelievable excitement.
Forty-five minutes reached on the dot, and the reaction vessel began to cool down according to the program. When the temperature inside the vessel dropped to a safe range, the robotic arm slowly opened the outlet valve.
Under the watchful gaze of countless nervous eyes, a dark gray fluid, like fine cement slurry, was slowly guided out and poured into a pre-prepared mold. Even more surprisingly, after touching the mold, this fluid actually began to solidify within just a few dozen seconds, its surface showing a metallic luster.
"Quick! Take a sample for testing!" Elder Chen couldn't help but step forward, his voice trembling slightly.
The sample was quickly sent to the nearby physical performance testing room. A series of intense tests immediately followed: compressive strength, flexural strength, wear resistance, high and low temperature impact resistance, radiation resistance...
Every test result that came out drew a wave of suppressed exclamations.
"Compressive strength... more than eight times that of C100 standard concrete!"
"Flexural strength... unbelievable!"
"Thermal stability... maintains structural integrity at least below 1,200 degrees Celsius!"
"Preliminary radiation testing shows an excellent shielding effect against cosmic rays and solar wind particles!"
When the final comprehensive test report was delivered to Elder Chen, this old academician, who was accustomed to big storms, had slightly trembling hands, and his eyes instantly became moist.
The data in the report not only completely reached the theoretical prediction values in the Patriot X materials but even exceeded them in some individual indicators! This meant they hadn't just successfully replicated the technology; they had mastered a super material whose performance crushed all known building materials and was perfectly suited for construction in extraterrestrial environments!
"Success... we really succeeded!" Professor Zhao took off his goggles, revealing a tired but extremely excited smile, and couldn't help but hug the assistant beside him.
Inside the command center, after a brief silence, a burst of warm applause and cheers erupted! Everyone understood what the breakthrough of this technology meant—it didn't just pave the way for the Moon Base; it was a complete revolution in the field of existing building materials! The Dragon Nation now held a trump card in the deep space exploration race that was enough to leave all opponents dumbfounded!
Elder Chen wiped the corner of his eye, his gaze passing through the observation window and falling on that gray solid that had completely hardened and was shimmering with a cold, hard metallic luster. He seemed to see the magnificent sight of a silver-gray Dragon Nation base rising from the desolate lunar surface in the near future.
"Immediately compile the experimental results into a top-secret report and submit it to the Supreme Command Headquarters of the Chasing Light Project!" Elder Chen's voice was hoarse with excitement but carried immense power. "At the same time, prepare for scaled-up production trials. We need more samples for more comprehensive environmental simulation tests!"
He paused and looked at Long Zhantian and Su Xiaowan, his tone incredibly solemn: "What Patriot X sent is a genuine 'miracle.' Finding him and protecting him is your most important task now! We owe him a massive debt of gratitude!"
The miracle in the lab was like a clap of thunder exploding within the Qianlong Base, making the convictions of everyone involved in the Chasing Light Project even more unshakable. What they didn't know was that at almost the same time, in that simple rental apartment thousands of miles away, another 'miracle' was quietly being born, accompanied by a faint, ghostly blue light.