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N0.424

 

 

CHINA  SCIENCE  AND  TECHNOLOGY
NEWSLETTER
The Ministry of Science and Technology
People's Republic of China

N0.424

December 20,2005

 

 

 

 

 
IN THIS ISSUE


 

* Chinese Scientists Awarded by Bayer Research Fund

* Unveiled Distance from Solar System to Milky Way

* China-Canada Strengthen Health Cooperation

* China-UK Grid Seminar

* Nanomaterials for Lithium Cells


 

 

INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

Chinese Scientists Awarded

by Bayer Research Fund

On December 6, 2005, Dr. Jurgen Dahmer, CEO of Bayer Greater China Group conferred the Award of Bayer Research Fund to three Chinese scientists of the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS). The recipients are: Prof. LIU Weimin from CAS Lanzhou Institute of Chemical Physics, Dr. LI Ruesheng at CAS Chagnchun Institute of Applied Chemistry, and Dr. Yang Zhenzhong of CAS Institute of Chemistry.

As one of major cooperation projects between CAS and Bayer, CAS-Bayer Research Fund Award is created to honor the recipients who have rendered outstanding contributions to polymer and material researches, in an attempt to encourage high caliber young postdoctoral candidates to be part of basic research efforts and establish their own research teams in China.

CAS forged its collaboration ties with Bayer in 2001. Both sides have agreed to extend cooperation till 2010, with a target framework for cooperative studies with China’s major chemistry institutes, in the fields that are covered by Bayer’s businesses. The Award, issued once every two years, is made for the winners in the fields of materials and high molecules, life sciences, agricultural crops, and engineering sciences. Candidates are selected from the young scientists working at the institutes affiliated to CAS, in view of their learning experiences, research activities, and papers published. Winners are offered with a bounty of USD 10,000.

Unveiled Distance from Solar System

to Milky Way

In a report published in the December 8th issue of the journal Science, scientists from China, the United States, and Germany wrote that they have for the first time measured up the distance between the Sun and the Perseus, the nearest spiral arm of the Milky Way. Dr. XU Ye, the lead author from the Department of Astronomy, a part of the Nanjing University, and his collaborators calculate out the distance between the Sun and the Perseus arm as 1.95 kiloparsecs, or about 6360 light years, with a possible error less than 2.1%. 

Using the Very Long Baseline Array at the US National Radio Astronomy Observatory, Dr. XU and his collaborators observed a massive star-forming region W3OH in the Perseus arm of the Milky Way, from which the distance between the Sun and the arm is measured. Scientists believe that one can map out the structures of spiral arms on the Milky Way, using observing equipment like the Very Long Baseline Array.

China-Canada Strengthen Health Cooperation

On December 20, 2005, the Chinese National Natural Science Foundation (NNSF) and the Canadian Institutes of Health Research jointly inked a health cooperation program that will last for 5 years. CHEN Yiyu, Minister of NNSF said the program would be a good stimulus to raising China’s basic research capacity in the field of health.

According to the program, both parties will select cooperation topics, conduct international reviews, and finance the projects in a joint manner. Both sides will solicit cooperative research topics through their respective websites, and jointly establish a reviewing panel to finalize the projects to be financed, using internationally acknowledged reviewing procedures. Entitled to annual contributions from each side in an amount up to 30,000 Canadian dollars and 150,000 RMB, a project can have a maximum implementation period for 3 years. Mainly designed for supporting and encouraging international exchanges and cooperation, the first round of projects will cover six areas, including neurosciences, diabetes and obesity, cardiovascular diseases, infections and immunology, children and teenagers’ health, and genetics.

Pan Yellow Sea Economic Exchanges

To spur up technological cooperation over the Pan Yellow Sea region, an economic and technical exchange event, the fifth of its kind, co-sponsored by the Chinese Ministry of Science and Technology (MOST), Chinese Ministry of Commerce, Korean Ministry of Commerce, Industry and Energy, Japan Kyushu Bureau of Economy, Trade and Industry, and Kyushu-Yamaguchi Association of Economy, was staged from November 28 to December 1, 2005 in Daejeon, South Korea. Headed by LU Kejian, Director, Department of Asia, a part of the Chinese Ministry of Commerce, and MA Linying, Deputy Director of MOST Department of International Cooperation, the Chinese Delegation, made up of more than 120 representatives from government agencies, research institutes, and universities, attended the event.

Participants from China, Japan and South Korea exchanged views on strengthening economic and technical cooperation in the Pan Yellow Sea region. The event organizer also lined up a range of talks on high technology, environment and recycling, trade, and marine activities. Some intentions of cooperation have also been reached through discussions and talks at the event.

China-UK Grid Seminar

On December 3, 2005, a China-UK grid seminar, co-sponsored by the project of high performance computer and the associated core software, an initiative under the National 863 Program and the Engineering and Physical Sciences Research Council (EPSRC), was convened in Beijing. Representatives from the Department of International Cooperation and the Department of High and New Technology, both under the Ministry of Science and Technology, the British Embassy in Beijing, and a UK delegation, and experts from the special project of high performance computer under the National 863 Program attended the seminar. 

Both sides shared the development of grid technology and applications in both countries. Eight speakers from the UK talked about a range of relating issues, including e-science policies and measures, e-science center, e-science engineering application, grid projects and applications, health information and IXI project, open OMII, information process of social sciences, and case studies of grid technology cooperation with China. Chinese representatives introduced applications of bioinformatics at CNGrid, virtual manufacturing applications, grid software GOS and collaborations with UK scientists. Both sides also had an in-depth discussion of technical and cooperative issues of common concern. 

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Nanomaterials for Lithium Cells

A study, undertaken by the Institute of Metal Research and the Institute of Physics, both affiliated to the Chinese Academy of Sciences, has achieved breakthroughs in preparing carbon nanotubes/fibers that can be used to serve as the cathodes for large volume and high power lithium cells. Aiming at raising cells’ dynamic and cycling performance, researchers developed carbon nanotubes/fibers that can store lithium either in graphite layers or in nanoholes. They worked out the cathodes made of chrome and lithium oxides high in volume and low in cost. The study also resulted in the cathode materials with dumpling structures, which offers a high volume and fine cycling performance. The primary composite cathode material at a mixed nanometer-micron level, also derived from the study, utilizes the nanoscale effect, in an attempt to reduce the cost. The cathode material developed has reached a volume of 600 mAh/g, or 1.8 times that of the cathode materials in current commercial applications, with volume attenuation less than 20% after 500 cycles. A high power 35-AH cell made of nano cathode materials can offer a power density as high as 1500W/kg. The cells of the specifications 18650 and 3450 reach a power density of 238Wh/kg, with fine cycling performance. The research findings have resulted in 11 invention patent applications or grants, of which 1 is a PCT application. 

In the course of developing the new materials, the enterprises that are involved in the study have embarked on commercial applications of the high performance cathode materials, and established a production line with annual capacity of 110 tons. The production line produces 20 tons of carbon nanotubes/fibers a year, with additional capacity for 60 tons of hard carbon balls with nanoholes, and 30 tons of cathode materials with dumpling structures.

Ethanol from Sweet Sorghum

A project, undertaken by the Chinese Academy of Agricultural Engineering, a part of the Ministry of Agriculture, to extract ethanol from sweet sorghum has recently passed a verification check. The project rolled out the fast fermenting technology and the associated preparing techniques and equipment for solid sweet sorghum fermenting at an annual capacity of 400 tons. The technology can be used to produce fuel ethanol from sweet sorghum. The research team has achieved substantive progresses in fermenting solid sweet sorghum stalks, based on the previous efforts in the 9th Five-year period. Researchers optimized the technical parameters for raw materials processing, strain preparation, fermenting process control, and distilling, which effectively reduced the energy consumption of the process and shortened the fermenting time, with a simplified operation, low residue sugar content, and high energy conversion. The project also completed the analysis and evaluation of other involving aspects, including technology, economics, environmental protection, and agricultural production. The findings have been granted with a Blue Sky Award for top ten pioneering technologies in the field of renewable energy, issued by the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) in 2005.

The project has resulted in a pilot demonstration project in Anqiu City, Shandong Province with an annual capacity of 400-ton ethanol from sweet sorghum stalks. In the meantime, it constructed a commercial demonstration project with an annual capacity of 5000 tons of ethanol from the same raw materials in Huachuan County, Heilongjiang Province.

Near-infrared Detects Gas Quality

To find an effective solution for testing the quality of finished gas products or component gasesresearchers at the Zhejiang University applied small wave conversion and spectrum integration technologies in spectrum data pre-handling, in an attempt to reduce the impacts of fluorescent background interference and high-frequency noises on the accuracy of analysis. In developing a near-infrared based online analyzing system for gas quality, researchers noticeably raised the accuracy of analysis, using vector mathematics in non-linear quantitative analysis of near-infrared spectrums, which avoids the limitation of the Partial Least 2 Squares (PLS) that is frequently used in quantitative analysis of near-infrared spectrums. Researchers also produced a near-infrared spectrum based fast approach to identify gas specifications. Using a classification model built on the near-infrared information of primary gas elements, the new method makes a fast classification for unknown gas specimens. 

Based on a range of findings achieved, the research team developed a new generation instrument that can test gas quality at a fast speed but for a lower cost for lab applications. The new system has found successful applications at Hangzhou Oil Refinery and Qingjiang Oil Refinery, both affiliated to SINOPEC.  In the meantime, researchers rolled out the systems for automatic cleaning of near-infrared probes, and for automatic sample collecting, which enhances the consecutive running capacity of the online system. The prototype near-infrared online analyzing system has been successfully incorporated in the consecutive reforming unit at the Shanghai Gaoqiao Refinery, a part of SINOPEC.

Improved Technology for Carbon Steel

A project for advanced commercial manufacturing technologies for 500Mpa carbon steel, jointly undertaken by the Northeastern University, the Central Iron and Steel Research Institute, and Beijing University of Science Technology, applauds for the substantive progresses it has achieved. Based on the manufacturing technology for carbon steel at the 200Mpa level, the research team raises the yield strength of steel to 400-500Mpa without compromising its tenacity, elasticity and technical performance, using elements tuning and controlled rolling and cooling techniques.

Through studying the structural lines from recrystallization to morphological changes in fine carbon steel rolling, researchers worked out a technical roadmap and associated techniques for producing fine crystal grains and enhancing the composite intensity. Researchers, in collaboration with Baogang Steel, successfully turned out the steel strips at the 400Mpa level. In 2004, the research team, working with Meishan Company, a part of Baogang Steel, rolled out super fine ferritic steels and Bainitic bridge steel plates.

In the area of carbon steel bars, the research team, in collaboration with Shougang Steel, produced 12,000 tons of carbon steel bars at the 400-500MPa level, and exported 1,000 tons of 500Mpa steel bars meeting the UK standard. Researchers also improved the technologies for manufacturing threaded steel of Φ6-32mm, which promotes wider applications of the steel.

In addition, researchers improved the technical roadmap for manufacturing carbon steel plates, which found successful applications at Shougang Steel, Jiugang Steel, Angang Steel, and Nangang Steel. 

Nanocoating for Carpentry

A project undertaken by Beijing University of Chemical Technology to produce nanocoating materials for carpentry has achieved breakthroughs. The effort has resulted in a high performance water soluble coating material for carpentry application, with its major performance indicators, including water endurance, hardness, and coating saturation, reaching the national standards for similar oil soluble coating materials. Having a volatile organic content as low as 6g/L, the product makes a substitute for oil soluble counterparts for coating wooden furniture and for interior decorations of residential and hotel structures. As it is water soluble, the product produces no organic solvent and nor residues in application, and is an environment friendly coating material for carpentry. Based on a trial application at the small scale and a pilot application with an annual capacity of 2000 tons a year, the research team has developed two technologies for synthesizing and coating preparation that can be used in commercial applications at an annual capacity of 10,000 tons.


       Comments or inquiries on editorial matters or Newsletter content should be directed to:

Mr. Mao Zhongying, Department of International Cooperation, MOST 15B, Fuxing Road Beijing 100862, PR China  Tel: (8610)58881360 Fax: (8610) 58881364

http://www.most.gov.cn