Li Zhi pulled the bicycle rubber tire on his hand above the torch held by the soldier and nodded happily.
The outer skin of this rubber tire is very elastic. Even if it is baked by a torch, it still maintains its elasticity. It can be regarded as qualified vulcanized rubber.
Natural rubber becomes soft when heated, hardens when cooled, brittle, difficult to shape, easy to wear, and easily soluble in organic solvents such as gasoline. It has double bonds in the molecule, is prone to addition reactions, and is prone to aging. Rubber must have practical value
, the rubber must be vulcanized.
After Li Zhi obtained natural rubber, he immediately set up a rubber laboratory to conduct vulcanization experiments.
In order to produce this vulcanized rubber, Li Zhi really spent a lot of effort.
The difficulty lies in the preparation of the vulcanizing agent "carbon disulfide".
The preparation of carbon disulfide requires methane and sulfur, and the reaction temperature is 500 to 700 degrees Celsius. Methane and sulfur are easy to obtain. Li Zhi built a biogas pool to collect methane and obtained the required raw materials. The key is the catalyst silicic acid, which cost
Li Zhi worked very hard.
The preparation of silicic acid requires sodium silicate and hydrochloric acid, and Li Zhi has hydrochloric acid. But this sodium silicate needs to be produced separately. Li Zhi opened another production workshop, specifically mixing river sand and soda ash and heating it to 1400 degrees to produce silicon.
sodium acid.
After obtaining silicic acid, Li Zhi used silicic acid as a catalyst to produce carbon disulfide. Then he used carbon disulfide as a vulcanizing agent to produce vulcanized rubber.
As an industrial designer, Li Zhi certainly knew the theoretical procedures for rubber vulcanization. But the actual practice was not that simple. Li Zhi hired dozens of polytechnic graduates to conduct repeated experiments in the rubber laboratory and spent three years
It took me several months to truly master the feasible vulcanization process.
However, after picking up this qualified vulcanized rubber, Li Zhi immediately felt that all the trouble and exploration were worth it.
Rubber is an indispensable raw material for modern industry and can be said to be a strategic material.
Rubber can be used as the covering of electrical wires, medical infusion hoses, and can be used as sealing and buffering materials in various machinery. The most direct use is in the production of tires.
Because the carriage has a simple structure, it can also use wooden tires. Anyway, no matter how bumpy it is, the body structure of the carriage will not be damaged. But if it is a car or a bicycle, it cannot withstand the bumps of wooden tires. Machinery with a steel structure will be damaged during the bumps.
It is damaged and loses its original function.
Li Zhi had trial-produced bicycles before.
With the current industrial level of Fanjiazhuang, it is more than enough to produce bicycles. Whether it is casting steel column shells or producing seat cushion springs, whether it is producing wheel bearings or transmission chains, Fanjiazhuang's lathes can do it with ease.
However, bicycles with wooden shell wheels are too bumpy to use. Not to mention that the bumps are unbearable for people, and the bicycle itself cannot stand it. After riding it for more than a hundred times, the fragile joints of the bicycle will fall apart due to the bumps.
So Li Zhi had built a bicycle a long time ago, but because there were no rubber tires, he could only shelve the wooden wheel bicycle he produced.
And now, after being transported by the Navy across half the world and through the efforts of the rubber laboratory, Li Zhi finally obtained the vulcanized rubber and used it to make tires.
Li Zhi waved his hand and said: "Okay, put the tires on!"
The craftsmen shouted orders and installed the rubber tires on the bicycles.
A modern bicycle appeared in front of Li Zhi.
In front of dozens of civil and military officials, Li Zhi got on his bicycle, stepped on the pedal, and started spinning on the cement school field.
Li Zhi laughed loudly and rode faster and faster.
Dozens of officials were stunned when they saw Li Zhi riding the bicycle easily. They were shocked that this two-wheeled bicycle could ride without falling over. They were stunned that this bicycle could ride so fast. They were dumbfounded.
It's the king who rides the bicycle with ease and comfort, seemingly effortlessly.
The officials seemed to have seen a wonderful stunt show, and they all cheered loudly.
"good!"
"The king is mighty!"
"good!"
Li Zhi pressed the brakes and stopped amidst the cheers of the crowd.
Parking the bicycle on the school grounds, Li Zhi looked at the ministers and asked: "Everyone, how do you like this bicycle?"
"Wonderful! It's really wonderful!"
“Brilliant!”
"Your Majesty's invention is the ultimate miracle of creation!"
The crown prince Li Huan was already a handsome young man. He stood aside and looked at it for a while, feeling surprised and happy. He stared at the bicycle with an expression on his face that he wanted to get on it and give it a try.
Li Zhi looked at Li Huan and said with a smile: "Okay, Li Huan, come and give it a try."
Li Huan suddenly smiled, bowed his hands to Li Zhi, and got on the bicycle.
Li Zhi waved his hand and asked Gao Ligong, director of the Department of Industry, to help Li Xing hold the car to prevent Li Xing from falling.
With the support of Gao Ligong, Li Xing began to spin around on the school field. After three laps, Li Xing suddenly accelerated, threw away Gao Ligong who was supporting him from behind, and rode forward quickly.
The people watching suddenly let out a cry of exclamation.
Li Huan got rid of the shackles of Gao Ligong and rode faster and faster on the school grounds, as if he were riding a horse, causing the onlookers' civil and military officials to shout and scream.
"Your Majesty, be careful!"
"Your Majesty, please don't get hurt!"
While everyone was shouting, Li Xing's hand suddenly shook when he turned a corner, and he and the car fell to the ground with a plop.
All the officials were stunned, and immediately seven or eight people rushed up to see if the prince had fallen. Gao Ligong, who was unable to catch up behind him, rushed forward quickly, his face turned pale with fright, and he knelt on the ground with a plop, shouting
: "Your Majesty! Your Majesty, are you not hurt?"
Li Huan was wearing a spring coat. The clothes had two layers, but his skin was not hurt. He dusted off the dust and got up. He said with a smile: "I'm fine! This bicycle is really magical. It can go so fast. It's amazing."
It’s almost time to catch up with the speed of the war horse.”
Li Zhi walked up and asked, "Li Huan, how can you ride so fast?"
Li Huan cupped his hands and said, "My son was attracted by this incredible bicycle and he rode it fast without knowing it."
Li Zhi smiled, turned to Gao Ligong and asked: "Gao Ligong, you have traveled overseas to Nanyang and have the most extensive experience. What do you think of this bicycle?"
When Gao Ligong saw that Li Huan was not injured, he let go of his anxiety. He cupped his hands and replied: "Your Majesty, this bicycle is exquisite. I think that with this bicycle, people can ride bicycles! In the future, from Fanjiazhuang to Tianjin Acropolis,
You can ride this kind of bike now!”
Gao Ligong waved his hand and said: "This bicycle is not like a horse. It does not need fodder and beans to serve it. The cost is much lower than raising a horse!"
"If people in rural areas have such a car, it will be very convenient to get in and out of the town. It is no longer like before where you can walk for one or two hours."
Li Zhi smiled and said: "Not only is it a good thing for farmers, it is also a sharp weapon for soldiers marching and fighting!"
