Chapter 135: Surging

"If these materials pass your stress tests and the data is ideal, we can proceed directly to the factory for production!"

"Good, good. As soon as the materials arrive, I will arrange it immediately. I'll send you the latest data the moment it's available. I sincerely invite you to become the Chief Consultant for the WS-15, helping us take it to the next level!"

The position of Chief Consultant was second only to his own as Chief Engineer. Before this, Yang Wei had never offered such a title, but now, he only wanted to reward Wu Tong with the best conditions he could provide. Had the WS-15 not already been finalized when it was painstakingly developed two years ago, he would have even been willing to hand over the position of Chief Engineer to her.

"Mr. Yang, you are too kind. Without the solid foundation you and your team built, I would have had no basis for my deductions. I am merely standing on the shoulders of giants, performing some theoretical deductions!"

Without her, given Yang's tireless and diligent research, he might have eventually reached this result anyway; she had simply used her abilities to accelerate the process.

"Actually, I should thank you for the trust and authorization you gave me, which allowed me to access those classified documents. In this process, I have also learned a great deal. You could say it helped me synthesize and elevate all the scattered, piecemeal knowledge I had accumulated before. It is I who should be thanking you!"

There were few people in all of China who could grasp the comprehensive, big-picture view of the core WS-15 data. This involved knowledge across multiple disciplines. In the six months before she officially came to Peking University, Wu Tong had audited many courses, ranging from fundamental mathematics to physics, chemistry, materials science, and engineering.

Studying the WS-15 materials was an advanced training course that elevated her understanding of these subjects. Through this, Wu Tong truly mastered the fundamentals.

In particular, regarding materials science, Wu Tong had received a meticulously curated reading list from Elder Cheng. As she repeated the preparation process, the initial tension of her first attempt was replaced by a focused, intensive learning phase. Day by day, her understanding of materials science grew deeper, reaching a level incomparable to what it once was. If this research continued, materials science would likely become her most superior discipline, second only to mathematics.

Not everyone could achieve such sublimation after reading those materials; Wu Tong's talent was the most critical factor.

Thinking of the world-class achievements Wu Tong had produced one after another in mathematics, perhaps in her eyes, this was just routine—a capability anyone could possess? It felt as though this young student’s perception might be slightly skewed, but that didn't matter. Yang Wei chose not to emphasize it further.

Giving his assistant engineer a gesture to continue the verification, Yang Wei hurried back to his office and loaded the encrypted document Wu Tong had transmitted. He then discussed with her some of the questions they had encountered during the preparation process, as well as the craft and principles behind the material preparation she had proposed.

Aero-engines are difficult, and the manufacturing of turbine blades is undoubtedly the greatest challenge. If he didn't fully comprehend the complexities and risks, pretending to understand while rushing into tests could lead to a catastrophe and waste Wu Tong's hard work.

Wu Tong carefully explained the basis for her deductions. Having received guidance from Academician Xie and completed her supplementary studies in materials science, her theoretical reservoir was now rich enough to explain, in scientific language, the absolute deductions that had left her immersed in a state of "knowing the result but not the reason" that night.

"Aero-engine blades are generally cast from alloy materials, and single-crystal technology is currently the superior choice. When the material is cast, molecules and atoms bond together to form grains, which, in the initial stages of casting, arrange themselves outward from the crystal nuclei."

Yang Wei nodded, noting the difficulty: "Because there is no external force, they arrange themselves in a chaotic, irregular manner. There are fracture zones between the grains, which causes the melting point and stress-bearing capacity of various parts of the crystal to be inconsistent."

"Due to this non-uniform distribution, two major problems arise. First, the entire engine blade suffers from uneven stress. Second, certain parts naturally bear much more heat than others. When used as an engine blade, working in an environment exceeding 1500°C, it would disintegrate instantly!"

"Exactly, Mr. Yang. You are an expert in aero-engines. Therefore, the engine blades I deduced are single-crystal blades! The grains within these blades must be arranged in an extremely orderly fashion. Based on this, I deduced and designed a new nickel-iron material model that performs excellently in terms of temperature and mechanical properties under specific conditions."

Question and answer, each extending the other; Wu Tong and Yang Wei discussed with deep immersion.

"This problem isn't that easy to solve, is it? Most alloy materials have low melting points and simply cannot withstand temperatures over 1500°C. Also, the interior of a single-crystal aero-engine blade must be made into a hollow shape with various channels, correct?" As the chief designer of the WS-15, Yang Wei had spent years deep in this field and knew the difficulties best.

Only by simultaneously strengthening the melting point and the durability of the alloy material could one produce truly qualified engine blades. Otherwise, they wouldn't have been stuck for so many years. The intricate hurdles of materials science were the fatal bottlenecks.

"Yes. Based on atomic and molecular sequences, I deduced the use of the metal Rhenium to enhance both melting point and strength."

Wu Tong's absolute direction and absolute deduction led her to identify Rhenium as the key material. This metal has a melting point as high as 3180°C and a tensile strength exceeding 1172 MPa—the equivalent of supporting 117 tons per square centimeter without deforming. Furthermore, the most magical property of this metal is that it hardly expands or contracts when transitioning between high heat and rapid cooling. Engine nozzles made from this material can withstand 100,000 thermal fatigue cycles, making it a superior choice for aerospace.

However, Rhenium ore is rare and precious. Just like titanium, no company or even country could afford to build blades entirely out of Rhenium. Wu Tong built a mathematical model on the right material and, combining her capabilities, deduced the most suitable material ratio.

"I reordered the molecular and atomic arrangement to retain the advantages of various materials: the high resistance of titanium, the lightness of aluminum, the corrosion resistance of nickel-iron, and the high-temperature and thermal fatigue resistance of Rhenium. This resulted in the T5 nickel-iron alloy blade material, which is the most superior material achievable under current technology, at a relatively lower cost."

After receiving Wu Tong's precise guidance and answers, she took the opportunity to ask Yang Wei questions about engineering dynamics. After exchanging thoughts, the two hung up the phone, both feeling satisfied.

A constant high-temperature resistance of 2400°C, 1710 MPa tensile strength, corrosion resistance, fatigue resistance, and lighter comparative mass... There could be no more suitable blade material. Seeing the detailed data on the superior properties of the T5 alloy, Yang Wei felt his blood boil instantly, recapturing the passion he felt when the WS-15 was first designed, or perhaps even more!