In the laboratory of Fanjiazhuang Glass Factory, Li Zhi looked at the thermometer made by the glassmaker and nodded.
Thermometers are important measurement tools in modern industry. Without thermometers, some industrial productions, especially chemical industry productions, would be completely inoperable. Because many chemical productions are carried out at specific temperatures, if the temperature is higher or lower, it will fail.
For Li Zhi, who wanted to produce a primer and upgrade his Minie rifle to a breech-loading rifle, a thermometer was a necessary tool. The reaction temperature of mercury fulminate in early primers was around 50 degrees. Without a thermometer, the preparation of mercury fulminate was impossible.
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Thermometers are not difficult to make. In fact, the Italian scientist Galileo Galilei invented the simplest glass thermometer in 1593. This thermometer is open and uses water as the measuring object.
This thermometer was soon improved by later generations. The open glass tube was sealed, the bubble was reduced, and the measuring objects were changed to mercury and alcohol. In 1742, the Swede Celsius used alcohol to make the famous Celsius thermometer. He
He set the freezing temperature of water as 0 degrees and the boiling temperature of water as 100 degrees, creating the Celsius thermometer that is used in most countries.
What Li Zhi wants to produce is this kind of Celsius thermometer.
The structure of the thermometer is very simple and does not involve any high technology. It only requires the skill of the glass craftsman. For the old craftsmen of the glass factory who have produced various glass products for nearly ten years, the difficulties in producing thermometers can be overcome.
Li Zhi handed the design drawings to the craftsmen, who quickly produced a qualified thermometer. The only trick Li Zhi taught the craftsmen was to seal the alcohol at high temperatures, so that the alcohol would shrink when it reaches room temperature.
, creating a vacuum on the wall of the tube. Drawing scales on these vacuums can be used to measure the temperature of objects.
Finally, Li Zhi got a tubular thermometer with a scale. The thermometer is 40 centimeters long and 3 centimeters in diameter. It can be easily inserted into various cups and pots.
Cai Huaishui, the supervisor of the glass factory and steel factory, followed Li Zhi, looked at the thermometer in Li Zhi's hand, and asked in surprise: "Your Majesty, why does this alcohol move up and down in the glass tube? It's really magical!"
Li Zhi smiled and said: "Didn't you also study in the Polytechnic? This is the principle of thermal expansion and contraction learned in physics class. When the temperature of an object is high, the volume will become larger. When the temperature is low, the volume of the object will increase.
It will shrink. The teacher in your class should have done an experiment to show you, right?"
Only then did Cai Huaishui remember that he had indeed learned such a piece of knowledge. However, he did not expect that this knowledge could be used to measure temperature, and he repeatedly praised: "The prince is indeed a star descending to earth, and he is indeed a sage."
Li Zhi smiled and measured the thermometer in the boiling water. Sure enough, the temperature of the wine continued to rise and stopped next to the 100-degree mark. He also had someone make some ice water with saltpeter and use a thermometer to measure the temperature of the ice water.
temperature and found that the thermometer did stay on the zero scale.
After the initial success of the large-scale thermometer, Li Zhi asked the craftsmen to continue producing thermometers with mercury as the measuring object. The thermometer needed to make the thermometer smaller and the scale markings finer. Although it did not need to be as small as later generations of thermometers, the diameter could not exceed
One centimeter, which challenges the craftsman's craftsmanship.
However, this thermometer is a sharp tool in medical science, and it is necessary for Li Zhi who wants to establish a modern medical system. With a thermometer, doctors can clearly diagnose whether the patient has a fever. So despite some difficulties, Li Zhi still asked the glass craftsmen to study hard.
Wondering how to make such a precise thermometer.
Let the craftsmen study the thermometer, and Li Zhi took a few brave craftsmen to another laboratory to prepare for the production of mercury fulminate.
In the later generations before Li Zhi traveled through time, there were many types of primers for firearms, including mercury-free primers such as tetrazene, lead azide, potassium chlorate, antimony trisulfide, and barium nitrate. But for Li Zhi, those future generations were safe.
The primer production process is extremely complex and out of reach. What Li Zhi can produce is unstable and highly toxic mercury fulminate.
Li Zhi walked into the laboratory, looked at the ten craftsmen who were producing mercury fulminate, and smiled: "Everyone knows that what we are going to produce today is a very dangerous compound."
Hearing Li Zhi's words, the craftsmen all took a breath, and their faces became nervous.
These ten craftsmen are all graduates of the Polytechnic Institute. They are all middle-aged and are the oldest group of graduates of the Polytechnic Institute.
This time Li Zhi wants to trial-produce mercury fulminate and recruit brave candidates from graduates of the Polytechnic Institute. The conditions given by Li Zhi are very generous, with a monthly salary of five taels. Moreover, if there is an explosion or chemical accident that causes the experimenter to be disabled, not only
A one-time compensation of 100 taels was given, and he was awarded the title of hero. From now on, the city hall will provide a disability allowance of 30 taels to 7 taels per month.
With one hundred taels of silver, you can buy a Tatar female slave to serve as a maid to serve you. With three taels of silver, you can live a decent life for yourself and your maid, and you can even raise two more children. The generous offer given by Li Zhi
The remuneration is enough to relieve applicants from worries.
So in the end, more than 400 polytechnic graduates signed up, which can be described as enthusiastic.
However, considering that once an accident causes real disability, the disabled young man may not be able to find a wife even if he has money. So in the end, Li Zhi recruited ten middle-aged graduates who already had children - when he was admitted to the Polytechnic Institute
Regardless of age, there are also some middle-aged graduates.
Li Zhi looked at the nervous craftsmen and said: "But it doesn't matter. If you are really disabled, you will get a pension. If the trial production is successful, your monthly salary will be increased by one level if you are transferred to other positions in the future."
Hearing Li Zhi's words, the craftsmen's somewhat nervous faces turned happy. The basic monthly salary for polytechnic graduates is three to seven taels, and it is about five taels for one level. Once you get this kind of monthly money, your life will be better.
Go straight to a well-off level. By then the whole family will be rich.
The risk is worth taking.
Li Zhi waved his hand and let the craftsmen enter the laboratory to start trial production of mercury fulminate.
The production of mercury fulminate is actually not complicated. As long as you have nitric acid, mercury and alcohol on hand, and a thermometer, it can be produced. However, this thing is highly toxic and extremely easy to explode.
According to Li Zhi's arrangement, the craftsmen poured a small amount of mercury into the long-necked bottle, then poured in nitric acid and reacted for 2-3 hours until the mercury was completely dissolved. They heated the ethanol to 50 degrees and poured it into an open cup.
Carefully pour into the ethanol.
The reaction was very violent.
Li Zhi stood five meters away, looking at the boiling reagent held by the craftsman with long tweezers.
Everyone was staring at the open cup, hoping to succeed at once. However, while everyone was still making wishes, they heard a bang and the open glass exploded.
