Academician Zhao Dongyuan, the first prize winner of the National Natural Science Award: I am born with "materials" to be useful in the microscopic world "whisper"

On November 3, the 2020 National Science and Technology Award was announced

The reporter learned that the National Natural Science First Prize is the highest award in the field of natural sciences in China

Started with a research fund of 30,000 yuan, and focused on mesoporous materials research for 23 years

In 1998, the 35-year-old Zhao Dongyuan finished his postdoctoral work in the United States and came to Shanghai

At that time, there was a big gap between the overall domestic scientific research conditions and that of foreign countries

Around 2001, the entire mesoporous materials were limited to inorganic materials

In order to overcome this problem, Zhao Dongyuan formed a scientific research team and worked hard for 5 years

In 2005, Zhao Dongyuan first proposed a new idea of ​​organic-organic self-assembly on the basis of organic-inorganic self-assembly, and made the experimental method public

"Whimsical" has become the driving force and source of scientific research

Although engaged in basic research, Zhao Dongyuan's research is closely integrated with practical applications

"Chemistry is a basic discipline closest to industry, and many research results can be transformed

After continuous cost reduction, Zhao Dongyuan's team put scientific research results into industrial production and carried out large-scale production

In terms of civilian use, it has not yet been realized, but Zhao Dongyuan has long thought: mesoporous materials have been used as insulation and heat insulation materials in industry, is it possible to apply them to clothing in the future?

"In the future, if you put it on your body with a thin layer, it will be completely insulated.

Zhao Dongyuan claims to be "the man who made holes", "it is equivalent to taking a chisel and making holes in an invisible microcosm

Once, he took his son to play in Lego World and saw various large-scale assembly components, he thought: In the microscopic world, can we also use various functional primitives to build holes? Then he opened up a new research direction—— Modular assembly in the synthesis methodology of mesoporous materials

Insist on teaching undergraduates for 17 years, answering "100,000 whys" for middle school students

　　In 1963, Zhao Dongyuan was born in a family of ordinary workers in Shenyang

　　"I am really willing to do scientific research, because scientific research is faced with all new things and can create things that are not in the world

　　Zhao Dongyuan is a well-known "workaholic" who is more serious and diligent in scientific research than ordinary people

　　In addition to taking graduate students, Zhao Dongyuan also insisted on "General Chemistry" for undergraduates for 17 years
.
He almost never missed classes twice a week, even if he was in a meeting outside the city the day before, he would definitely fly back overnight
.

　　"I like to mingle with the students, and hope to continue to strengthen my basic knowledge in this way
.
" Zhao Dongyuan said
.

　　Many students send emails to ask him: What are the conditions to work in your laboratory? Zhao Dongyuan replied: Nothing else, my only condition is that you must love science and be aspiring to become a scientific worker
.

　　No matter how busy he was at work, Zhao Dongyuan did not let go of popular science
.
From giving lectures for middle school students to recording online classes, he also edited "One Hundred Thousand Whys (Volume 6)", carefully compiling the content and spending a lot of effort
.

　　"I myself grew up reading "One Hundred Thousand Whys".
The publisher found me and I agreed
.
" Zhao Dongyuan said that scientists must have successors in order to continue to develop their scientific undertakings, and it is the responsibility of scientists to promote science
.
"The true pure science is to get to the bottom of the question, and there is no application
.
For example, what is the use of 1+1=2? It's useless
.
But it has changed the thinking of human beings.
With this kind of thinking, human life will be better
.
"