Chapter 94 Feint to the East, Attack in the West
"I'm just helping out, I don't expect you to actually fix it yourself?"
Feng Lin smiled and said, "Don't panic, Junior Brother Lin is very kind!"
Chen Huaizhi took a breath and nodded vigorously.
Li Zhen told her a lot, saying how high Lin Sicheng's appreciation ability was, how well he applied the enamel, and how beautifully he repaired the metalwork.
But Li Zhen never mentioned that Lin Sicheng was also skilled in lacquerware and had such high craftsmanship.
To find out where it's high, look at the way the paint is mixed: no weighing or measuring, just pouring all the raw materials in as they come. But after mixing, if you lift a glass rod upwards, the paint line will be a full meter high.
Chen Huaizhi may not know how to apply lacquer, but she understands the principles: only when the humidity and viscosity are close to the optimal level can the lacquer achieve this "suspended yet unbroken" and "tough as a rope" state.
She bet that more than half of the ceramics professors in the Department of Cultural Heritage Conservation couldn't do this.
Shocked, I couldn't help but feel uneasy: with my limited knowledge, how could I possibly help?
Not only will you be slow, but you'll also make a lot of mistakes and get scolded by Lin Sicheng.
But we've already come this far...
Chen Huaizhi gritted her teeth, raised her head, and walked onto the stage with her chest out.
Then he stood quietly to the side, without saying a word.
Feng Lin almost burst out laughing: "I asked you to go on stage to help, not to go on stage to die."
The others were even more confused: "We just asked you to go up and help out, Chen Huaizhi, is it really necessary to go to such lengths?"
It was indeed a bit strange. Lin Sicheng didn't notice it at first, but when he suddenly turned around, he saw her standing straight behind him with a hint of panic on her face.
Lin Sicheng couldn't help but chuckle: I don't eat people, why are you so nervous?
After glancing at it, he turned on the hair dryer and stirred the paint while blowing it: firstly, to mix it evenly, and secondly, to heat it so that the urushiol could react quickly.
Seeing that Chen Huaizhi was still standing still, he pointed to the toolbox: "Four hundred-grit fine sandpaper, coarse grinding of the edges!"
"Oh, oh~" She suddenly realized what was happening and took the porcelain shards out of the electric kiln.
After being slightly heated to 60 degrees Celsius, the paint had already solidified, and a layer of black film, like glass, covered the broken edges of the porcelain pieces.
The edges are very neat, with no paint overflow or contamination of the glaze.
Chen Huaizhi then took out sandpaper and carefully polished the paint film: he scratched lines on the surface of the paint film to increase the adhesion of the glue.
It requires no technical skills; anyone with hands can do it. Just be careful not to scratch the glaze on the porcelain.
After grinding five or six pieces, Chen Huaizhi gradually calmed down and belatedly realized that Lin Sicheng had done this intentionally.
What should I do if I'm too nervous?
It would be best to do something to distract herself, like she is right now.
The forty or so ceramic pieces were assembled in a short time. Lin Sicheng also finished applying the lacquer. He simply brushed it on once more and then attached it to the base.
This time, without needing any prompting, Chen Huaizhi prepared a towel and clamps. As soon as Lin Sicheng let go, Chen Huaizhi pressed down gently with four fingers against the porcelain shard.
She waited three seconds for the adhesive to solidify, then grabbed a towel and carefully wiped away any excess paint that had squeezed out of the crevices. Only after confirming that there was absolutely no residue would she clamp the fixture in place.
Quite skilled and meticulous.
And so, one person glued, the other clamped, and in no time at all, all the brown porcelain pieces were pieced together. Lin Sicheng held up the glass case and compared them back and forth.
There weren't many places that needed to be repositioned. After a few minor adjustments, a half-broken gold-flecked bowl sat on the table.
There's a piece missing from the rim of the bowl, like it's been bitten by some wild beast.
After a final check, Lin Sicheng straightened up: "Electric kiln constant temperature, 80°C, 90% humidity, four-hour timer..."
After he finished speaking, Chen Huaizhi's eyes almost popped out: she had studied for four years in college, three years for a master's degree, and worked in the laboratory for two years, and this was the first time she had ever heard of porcelain that had been repaired with lacquer and then baked in an electric oven.
Slower methods involve natural air drying, while better methods use specialized shade rooms. The shortest time is 24 hours, and the temperature never exceeds 30 degrees Celsius.
Being surprised was one thing, but whether or not to do it was another. Without the slightest hesitation, she carefully lifted the base and placed the porcelain bowl into the electric kiln. Then, she meticulously adjusted the temperature and humidity according to Lin Sicheng's instructions.
After closing the kiln door, Chen Huaizhi still felt uneasy and cautiously leaned forward: "Won't it... crack?"
It wasn't a question, but rather a genuine curiosity; most importantly, Li Zhen had specifically reminded her of this:
Even Professor Shang was amazed by Lin Sicheng's enameling and porcelain repair techniques. Professor Shang had to repeatedly study and understand some of the key techniques after returning home.
This is a rare opportunity, so when you go, ask questions and learn what you need to learn; don't be reserved.
Here comes the opportunity.
"Was the reminder a little too late?"
Lin Sicheng made a joke, then nodded, "Don't worry, it won't: the coagulation of lacquer is essentially an oxidative polymerization reaction of urushiol catalyzed by laccase..."
It first oxidizes, then polymerizes, and finally forms a film and cures... As long as the molecules remain active during these three processes, it does not affect the final formation of the paint film..."
Chen Huaizhi blinked, her pupils filled with confusion.
At first glance, it seems like I understand, but upon reflection, my mind remains blank.
Lin Sicheng then elaborated further:
"Urushiol is a catechol derivative with long-chain alkyl groups. The higher the unsaturation of its R groups, especially the unsaturation of groups containing conjugated double bonds, the stronger the oxidative polymerization activity and the better the quality of the paint film."
"Water is the medium that promotes the oxidation of urushiol. Secondly, free radicals initiate cross-linking reactions between urushiol molecules, forming long-chain polymerization, which in turn builds a three-dimensional network structure... Heating can accelerate the reaction process..."
"Therefore, as long as sufficient humidity and appropriate temperature are maintained, the curing process of the paint film can be shortened quickly."
Chen Huaizhi understood, but didn't comprehend: "But the ones I've seen before were always naturally air-dried, and the temperature never exceeded thirty degrees Celsius?"
Lin Sicheng paused for a moment: "The paint isn't mixed properly!"
In other words, it wasn't a rush, otherwise Lin Sicheng could have shortened the process to about an hour.
To put it more professionally: the structural balance between laccase and collagen molecules has not been properly grasped, or even if it has been grasped, the person mixing the lacquer is unaware of it or lacks confidence in it.
If you lack the technical skills, you can only make up for it with time.
Chen Huaizhi suddenly realized: when he used the glass rod to pull up the lacquer lines, wasn't he surprised that most ceramics professors couldn't mix it so well...?
Seeing her staring blankly with her eyes open, Lin Sicheng grabbed a towel and wiped his hands: "Let's go, let's eat first!"
"No need to keep an eye on it?"
"No need, if it cracks, we can just glue it back on!"
After replying, Lin Sicheng glanced at his watch and said, "Senior Sister Feng, you go ahead with your shift. I'll be done in half an hour... You guys can go home too."
Feng Lin nodded: "If the electric kiln is running, someone definitely needs to stay; otherwise, no one will know if it catches fire."
Upon hearing the word "off work," the two recent graduates, one a PhD and the other a Master's, seemed to snap out of their daze.
What Lin Sicheng just said was all knowledge from his undergraduate textbooks, but Chen Huaizhi hadn't remembered it. Of course, they hadn't remembered it either.
The professors, of course, knew that too.
But theory is one thing, and practice is another. The reason why those ceramic professors didn't use it was, as Lin Sicheng said, because the lacquer wasn't mixed properly.
This demonstrates Lin Sicheng's understanding and proficiency in lacquerware craftsmanship.
At least they could tell that Lin Sicheng's lacquer paste was really well mixed.
The group was secretly amazed and went downstairs one after another. They hadn't made any appointments with each other and each ate their own food.
But when Lin Sicheng and Chen Huaizhi returned, the four of them sat neatly under the lab table.
Lin Sicheng paused for a moment, then joked, "Don't rush, it'll still be several hours!"
Haha~
A few low laughs came from below.
A moment later, the only remaining female master's student raised her hand: "Junior, did you really do this project report all by yourself?"
Huh?
Lin Sicheng looked up: "Why would you ask that?"
Wei Hong fell silent: because of what Dr. Zhu said, that's the Dr. Zhu who came to apply for the position of core researcher.
During the previous discussion of the proposal, Dr. Zhu mentioned that before he applied for the job, he had studied all of Professor Wang's relevant academic reports and papers, and found that they were very different from the technical ideas, technical modules, key technology applications, and application prospects in the proposal.
As Dr. Zhu said these words, there was also a hint of admiration in his tone.
At that time, Wei Hong thought: the technical ideas and modules cannot be changed so easily, which means that this plan was definitely not from Professor Wang, or at least not led by him.
It's also absolutely impossible that they found a gun: because technical concepts are impossible to copy, let alone apply to experiments.
Such a large project, with funding often exceeding one million, would never be used by the university or Professor Wang as a stepping stone for someone's child. Therefore, the person in charge of the project's experiments must be the one who initially designed the research direction and conceived the technology.
Then, only one possibility remains: this plan was written by Lin Sicheng... That's what Dr. Zhu meant.
Wei Hong's question now is not out of doubt, but out of panic. And she's panicked to the point of having no choice but to ask: because after trying to sort out her thoughts all morning, she still hasn't figured them out.
Five people, only three technical positions: Dr. Zhu goes without saying, Chen Huaizhi has already demonstrated her value, and now she's the only one left. If she becomes the only one who drags the team down, where will she put her face?
Seeing the female master's student's hesitant and stammering manner, Lin Sicheng instantly guessed most of the situation and secretly praised her: Dr. Zhu has a sharp eye, and this person's mindset changes very quickly.
If it were him, he would have doubted it for at least two or three more days.
Well then, let's make things clear as soon as possible and get started.
He smiled and picked up the planning report:
"Because I was worried about unexpected issues like 'technology leaks' during the bidding process, the proposal was relatively rough. But since we're discussing this behind closed doors today, and we happen to have some time, I'll go into more detail... Just so you know, there's no overtime pay..."
The group laughed again.
Seeing this, Chen Huaizhi quickly sat down and picked up a pen to open his notebook.
The two undergraduates saw this and followed suit.
Lin Sicheng laughed along: "Let me add something else. There are some things I won't acknowledge once they're out this door... because according to my thinking, this project research, in its final stages, will likely involve a war of words with Western historical research institutions..."
Regarding the first point: the study of the alloy composition of bronze artifacts unearthed from the Banpo site... While it's called a composition study, it's actually a reconstruction of the process, with one goal: that the world's copper smelting technology originated in China...
If this research doesn't hold water, then at least it should prove that China's copper smelting technology originated independently, rather than being the widely accepted view that China's technology originated in West Asia…
Suddenly, how could the people in the audience still laugh?
Wasn't it said that it was just a sub-topic?
Looking at the report again: Yes, it's the school's tender document?
But Lin Sicheng's single sentence allowed the project to transcend the city, the province, and even go abroad.
Brother, can we not go this far at the beginning?
Zhu Kaiping was stunned for several seconds before silently taking out paper and pen.
Feng Lin, who was about to go to dinner, paused for a moment, closed the laboratory door, and came over to sit with the others.
Because even she didn't know that Lin Sicheng's goals were so ambitious.
"You're probably going to say I'm bragging, but I'll just say this: According to Western historical accounts, the earliest bronze artifacts in West Asia are made of arsenic bronze, dating back about 6,000 years. But actual research on unearthed specimens shows they are actually around 3,500 years old."
Its main components are only copper and arsenic, with arsenic used as a flux... But how old is Banpo brass?
Lin Sicheng stretched out his hand, spreading his five fingers: "To be precise, 4700 years. According to Western conventions, it's rounded up to at least five thousand years. The fluxing metals are zinc, tin, and lead... What is this? Ternary alloy copper!"
European archaeologists had thoroughly explored all the possible sites in West Asia where related artifacts might exist, only to find a piece of tin-zinc brass dating back approximately 2,600 years... which means they were more than two thousand years behind us!
Even setting that aside, just comparing West Asian arsenic copper and Banpo brass: the difference of 1,200 years is enough to prove that Chinese copper metallurgy originated independently…
"If our research can further prove that the smelting processes of Banpo brass and Southwest Asian arsenic copper are similar, does that mean that the world's copper smelting technology originated in China, and specifically here?"
After a slight pause, Lin Sicheng smiled again: "If we're lucky, we might even be able to prove that 'the world's metallurgical technology originated in China'..."
The six people stared in disbelief, their mouths agape, at Lin Sicheng on the stage.
What is metallurgy?
All metal smelting, and even non-metallic catalytic elements such as arsenic and sulfur.
Copper is like a single hair on a cow.
In an instant, the group shared a remarkably similar and eerie feeling: it was as if a group of Stone Age savages were sitting in a hut, discussing how to rule the world.
Let's start by discussing whether it's possible, just this idea, just this goal... how grand is that?
After a long pause, Zhu Kaiping suddenly realized: "But I remember that the Chinese Academy of Sciences reported in the Social Sciences Daily (a journal of the Chinese Academy of Sciences): The Chinese Academy of Sciences had already started research last year, and the project topic was 'The Origin of Copper Smelting in China'... Oh right, the project leader... the project leader... who was it again?"
Zhu Kaiping looked pained and muttered to himself, but he just couldn't remember.
Lin Sicheng smiled slightly: "Professor Wang Changsui!"
“Yes, yes, yes…” Zhu Kaiping slapped his forehead, “Professor of the Department of History of Science and Archaeology of Science and Technology, Chinese Academy of Sciences…”
Halfway through his sentence, Zhu Kaiping suddenly froze, his facial features gradually contorting: You're... trying to steal projects from the Chinese Academy of Sciences?
That's the Chinese Academy of Sciences, isn't it?
I'm impressed... Brother, I'm truly impressed!
The others were basically stunned into a state of "brain blank": No wonder Lin Sicheng emphasized at the beginning: once he left this door, there were some things he would not acknowledge.
Putting aside whether they admit it or not, if they went out and told others, who would believe them?
As if a pause button had been pressed, the laboratory was unusually silent. After a long while, an undergraduate student suddenly raised his hand: "It seems that no brass artifacts have been unearthed from the Banpo site... but there is natural red copper?"
Lin Sicheng smiled without saying a word, while Zhu Kaiping sighed inwardly: Child, you are still too young.
Do you know what a feint attack is?
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