Can you imagine that happening to a 25-year-old? Liang Yuxiang, a graduate student in the School of Environmental Science and Engineering of Zhejiang Gongshang University, cleverly improved the output performance of microbial fuel cells with the help of sunlight, and developed the photoelectric microbial fuel cells with high output power and good stability in the field of the current world, and the related achievements have published 9 academic papers in high-quality international journals and authorized 6 national invention patents. It makes a breakthrough contribution to the engineering application of this technology.
Quantitative change leads to qualitative change
Born in Xinchang, Zhejiang Province in 1992, this young man wears glasses, cheerful and easygoing, although he has published nine academic papers in high-quality journals around the world, his first impression is always special gentle, polite and humble.
In 2010, Liang Yuxiang entered the environmental engineering major of Zhejiang University of Commerce for undergraduate study. In 2014, he was admitted to the graduate school, majoring in environmental science and engineering. Seven years in school, he remembers that there is a map of elevator culture in the Yifu Building of the Environment College - the figure tells the difference between 0.99 to the 365 power and 1.01 to the 365 power. "It tells me: people who work just a little harder than you every day will actually leave you far behind, and we do a little more than others every day, always harvest several times the results of others."
Microbial fuel cell, referred to as MFC, is a technology that emerged more than a decade ago and can simultaneously achieve pollutant degradation and electricity generation, mainly by the United States Bruce Rogan, Bruce Ritman and other academicians research and development promotion. Traditional batteries generally use nickel, chromium and other highly toxic heavy metals as oxidation-reducing agents, which are difficult to deal with after use and will produce serious secondary pollutants. The existing fuel cells basically need to consume hydrogen and oxygen, which is extremely expensive. Microbial fuel cell is a kind of harmless electroactive microorganism as catalyst and organic matter in wastewater as oxidant, non-toxic and non-harmful, and can achieve pollution reduction capacity at the same time. Although MFC has many advantages over traditional batteries, its relatively poor output performance still limits its practical application.
Can the performance of microbial fuel cells be improved in our hands? This became a problem that Liang Yuxiang thought about day and night. His research group, Zhejiang Solid Waste Treatment and Recycling Laboratory, has many years of research experience in the direction of electrochemical and bioelectrochemical degradation. Under the guidance of his mentor Shen Dongsheng and Feng Huajun, Liang Yuxiang plunged into the laboratory.
"Doing research is like being pregnant."
Some people say that science itself is a great beauty, with infinite charm. This kind of charm makes people love science and establish the ideal and belief of dedicating to science; It also makes people willing to abandon the comfort and comfort, and immerse themselves in the work of the laboratory. In Liang Yuxiang's eyes, every step of the research process can bring him a full sense of achievement.
Under the careful guidance of his mentors Feng Huajun and Shen Dongsheng, Liang conducted a lot of experimental research, from the discovery of new phenomena to rigorous analysis to practical application, such a cycle has been continued. He believes that many students are the same as himself, "Maybe you can't remember how many literatures you consulted, how many experiments you repeated, and how many papers you modified, but you must remember the moment when the previous article was received, the first patent was authorized, and the first project was accepted, many predecessors doing scientific research called this process 'pregnancy', and the pregnancy was only for its birth." Pain and joy."
After trying hard to calculate, Liang finally found that by building a photocatalytic material on the anode, MFC can use solar energy to accelerate the degradation rate of microorganisms, and improve the performance of MFC by enhancing the efficiency of electron production and transfer.
"Opportunities are only for those who are prepared."
On March 23, at the graduation ceremony of 2017 graduate students of Zhejiang University of Commerce, Liang Yuxiang made a speech as the graduate representative. In his speech, President Chen Shoucan specifically mentioned that Liang Yuxiang's successful development of photomicrobial fuel cells has solved the two major problems of energy shortage and environmental pollution at the same time, and he has published 9 papers on relevant achievements in international high-quality journals in the field of environment, electrochemistry and energy, with a total impact factor of 45, which has been recognized by many international peers. Teachers and students responded with warm applause.
According to Zheng Sufa, secretary of the School of Environmental Science and Engineering, the university has integrated scientific and rigorous education into the whole process of training students and inspired students' "double innovation" ability. Among the 100 science and technology teams in the country, the most numerous environmental team comes from the "Xiaoping Innovation Team" of the college. Since freshman year, 53 professional teachers have brought at least one innovation project each, and there are 10 satellite teams around the "Xiaoping Innovation Team" alone. For students with ideas and abilities like Liang Yuxiang, the university not only sets up student research projects, but also provides a large number of research funds to support them. In addition, the school's various types of scholarships are also mainly based on various types of innovation and entrepreneurship achievements as evaluation criteria to encourage students to innovate and start businesses independently.
"You must first do more, faster and faster than others, so that you can have enough high-quality papers earlier, so that you can win various awards and scholarships, and then others can give excellent evaluation." It can be concluded, therefore, that all success must have a significant positive correlation with previous action, and that opportunity is reserved only for those who are prepared." Liang Yuxiang said.