Chapter 1513 (1/2)

Titan, inside the sentinel lab.

Researchers in chemical protective clothing are in the isolation chamber, studying the samples in the incubator.

In soil analysis of the soil collected from Titan, they found a special bacterium in a group of black porous loose soil. The bacteria are anaerobic and can only survive in nitrogen environment. It's not the bacteria that people care about, but the metabolites they produce

It's a black lump with a very complex chemical composition, made up of a variety of hydrocarbons. The molecules are folded to each other, showing a zigzag spatial structure. Because of this tight binding property, in terms of hydrocarbons, its density is quite amazing, almost twice as high as that of water in the same body.

”Incredible.”

”This density is catching up with Teflon.”

”Well, the density has reached 2. This is the first time that I have such a high density of hydrocarbons.”

Teflon, also known as polytetrafluoroethylene, has a density of 2.2, which is the largest in common plastic materials. By the standards of hydrocarbons, the density can reach twice that of water in the same body. It is no exaggeration to use the word ”inconceivable”.

”Has the cause been analyzed?”

”Just finished.”

Wang Zhouping, a former academician of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, was responsible for the research on this bacterium, code named mw1.

Because he was dissatisfied with the bureaucratic style of his superiors and the education of his family and children, he finally chose the new country of skilled immigrants. After immigrating to the new country, he quickly passed the interview and got the offer of star ring trade. After six months of training as an astronaut, he became an honorary researcher on an exoplanet survey ship.

Looking at the analysis report of mw1 bacteria, Wang Zhouping's eyes twinkled with excitement.

Before he came to the new country, his research direction was just the storage way of new energy. It is for this reason that he knows better than anyone what the appearance of this material means. If the natural gas can be stored in the form of solid state, not only can the storage and transportation costs of natural gas be greatly reduced, but also the use of natural gas can be further expanded!

Because the main composition of this mixed material is similar to alkanes, and the color is black, so the researchers of the research institute decided to name it ”black alkane”.

”Methane and ethane are used as reactants to produce the metabolite melanin through biochemical reaction, and the reaction exothermic produces heat needed to maintain life activities. The black alkane has a strong heat insulation effect and fills the loose porous bacteria attached rock mass. No wonder this kind of bacteria can survive in an environment with an average temperature of minus 180 degrees! ”

”Have you ever seen this formula?” Hou Jun, head of the laboratory, asked.

”Never, but in theory it can be done.” Wang Zhouping replied.

Hou Jun nodded and looked at the researcher in the isolation room and opened his mouth.

”Start calorific value test.”

“OK。”

The thumb sized mass of black alkane, a metabolite of the bacterium mw1, was placed in sealed containers by researchers in chemical protective clothing. Under the instruction of Hou Jun, the researchers in the isolation room carried out three groups of experiments, respectively measuring the reactions of black alkane at different temperatures in three conditions: anaerobic environment, air environment and oxygen enriched environment.

And the result of the experiment is quite amazing.