The Fate of Great Powers: Nuclear Storm (31) We learned from Marie Curie to make an ignition neutron source here

On a Sunday in mid-April 1948, Qian Sanqiang, who had worked in Curie's laboratory for 10 years, was returning to China, and his dear mentor, Jolio Curie, sent wine off for him and his wife He Zehui at their home. The lessons of 10 years have enabled Qian Sanqiang to understand that although science has no borders, scientists have a motherland. On that day, Joliot said that scientists should be patriots, otherwise, for whom is science used? It is only natural for you to go back and serve the motherland. On that day, Madame Curie gave Qian Erqiang two parting words: "We must serve science, and science must serve the people." Qian Sanqiang had tears in his eyes and firmly remembered these words.

On that day, Joliot also told Qian Sanqiang several important data that were very confidential at that time. Madame Curie solemnly handed over some of the research materials on radioactive materials and the radioactive sources with a relatively long half-life in the lead box to Qian Sanqiang, saying: "If you take it back, it will not be easy to get it elsewhere, and you may be able to use it in the future."

Later, this little bit of radiation source really contributed to China's first atomic bomb.

Albert Einstein said that bombarding nuclear atoms with neutrons can cause a nuclear explosion. When a nuclear weapon explodes, it is necessary to inject ignition neutrons at a certain moment when the fissile material reaches a supercritical state, thereby causing a violent chain reaction, that is, to make the fissile material burn up and release huge energy. The ignition device of the atomic bomb is also called the ignition neutron source. Ignition neutron sources are one of the key components of nuclear weapons.

One afternoon in the summer of 1960, Qian Sanqiang called Wang Fangding, who was in his early 30s, to his office. Wang Fangding, a technician in the chemistry laboratory of the Institute of Atomic Energy, worked under Qian Sanqiang after graduating from the Sichuan Institute of Chemical Technology in 1953 and has been engaged in uranium chemical metallurgy research. Qian Sanqiang closed the door tightly and poured a cup of hot water for Wang Fangding. Wang Fangding hurriedly took it, he was a little restrained. After the two sat down, Qian Sanqiang praised him and said, "I understand that although you are only a mid-level professional title and are not very famous, you have a relatively strong sense of professionalism and responsibility, and you are a backbone of young people."

Wang Fangding was embarrassed. Qian Sanqiang said, "Xiao Wang, you answered me a question."

Wang Fangding stood up and looked at Qian Sanqiang with some nervousness.

Qian Sanqiang motioned for him to sit down, and then asked, "Have you heard of deuterated uranium?"

Wang Fangding was shocked: "Deuterium uranium?" Qian Sanqiang nodded solemnly. Wang Fangding said, "I know. The deuterated uranium pellet is the core component of the atomic bomb detonation device, which is also known as the ignition neutron source. ”

Qian Sanqiang nodded with great satisfaction, and then said to Wang Fangding: "Now I want to tell you that the state has entrusted us with the task of developing an atomic bomb ignition neutron source, the task is heavy, and the time is tight, so the institute has decided to set up a research team, and I propose that you be responsible for this task."

Wang Fangding was a little excited, but also a little confused: "Qian Is the director. I know that many people in the institute have undertaken top-secret tasks, and many famous scientists have been transferred away, but I did not expect that it would be my turn to shoulder the burden so soon...

Qian Weiqiang said: "The task is very arduous, will you retreat?"

Wang Fangding was stunned, slammed his chest, and said, "I won't!"

Qian Sanqiang said: "Doing this, there is a certain radiation danger, are you afraid?"

Wang Fangding said, "I'm not afraid!"

Qian Sanqiang smiled reassuringly: "The institute has set up a neutron committee, my lover He Zehui is one of the members, out of secrecy, others do not care about you, your group is directly managed by He Zehui, in terms of business, you report more to He Zehui, she and the neutron physics room she leads can help you."

Wang Fangding said, "I wrote it all down."

Qian Sanqiang turned and walked to a safe, opened it, took out a pear-shaped, black quartz bottle from the cabinet, held it up to Wang Fangding, and said mysteriously: "This is a little radioactive source that my teacher, Jolio Curie, gave me when I returned to China in 1948, and the ingredient is radium, which contains bismuth-210 and polonium-210 decay products." Put more than ten years, has not been willing to use, now handed over to you, can be used to the most needed place! It only has a few Curies, you do theoretical design, the neutron source actually uses a hundred times larger than this, must be extracted in the reactor. You guys have to do a good job, hurry up and get it out!"

Wang Fangding looked at the container with great excitement, and like a warrior taking a steel gun, he solemnly extended his hands, took the small container, and held it in his hand with great care.

Since then, Wang Fangding has led several young people in the research team to work day and night: late one night, Wang Fangding handed Qian Sanqiang to his 10 grams of radioactive source for processing, the quartz bottle has turned black, and the polonium is shining in the dark. This is what Qian Sanqiang wrote to the ship returning to China in 1948 saying that "the treasure cannot be recovered", and few people have seen it for more than a decade. Wang Fangding was holding this treasure, and a sense of divine responsibility made him work tirelessly...

Tuoli, Fangshan County, Beijing. In a corner of the courtyard of the Atomic Energy Research Institute, a simple work shed was quietly built, and Wang Fangding led the group to move in some strange equipment and altar jars, which was completed. This is where the Laboratory for The Synthesis of Deuterium is ready to be used to produce the neutron source for the atomic bomb ignition. With little money and little time, they set up the groundwork, plastering the walls with reed stalks and coating the asphalt with linoleum as the top. The test bench was made of broken bricks, two cabinets of items, wooden boxes of gloves retrieved from the waste heap. If you don't see it with your own eyes, no one can believe it.

One day, qian three strong into the look, it is an acceptance. Because it was too simple, Wang Fangding was a little embarrassed, and he said: "Director Qian, we want to put into the experiment as soon as possible, and you can pass the acceptance as soon as possible."

Qian Lanqiang said: "This reminds me of Marie Curie, who made radium in a very broken shed and won the Nobel Prize."

Wang Fangding immediately said, "Let's learn from Madame Curie and make a source of ignition neutrons here."

Qian Sanqiang nodded: "However, doing radioactive experiments here, the outside can be inconspicuous, the inside must be safe, the four walls and ceilings must be painted, and the floor should be paved with rubber boards." This money, can not save!"

Wang Fangding said, "Okay, we'll do it right away."

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The confrontation between China and the United States has never stopped and is likely to continue to develop. Why has China been able to achieve these achievements? Why is China suppressed by Europe and the United States? The historical truth behind it will tell us everything. Therefore, there has always been a desire: to write a series of serials about "two bombs and one star". Write truthfully, write the whole truth of things. Of course, I know it's very hard. Because there are only a few people who participated in the construction and implementation of this great project. All kinds of data archives have long disappeared in the process of successive military reforms, and can only rely on some historical archives, biographies of people and scattered memories of the parties to dictate. The name is tentatively set as "The Fate of Great Powers: Nuclear Weapons", and see if it can be coded out in a year. I hope you guys like it.

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