Home > Announcement Board
N0.413

 

 

CHINA  SCIENCE  AND  TECHNOLOGY
NEWSLETTER
The Ministry of Science and Technology
People's Republic of China

N0.413

August 30,2005

 

 

 

 

 
IN THIS ISSUE


 

* 10-Billion Loan for Environmental Protection

* Three Gorge Project More Innovations

* Progress in Chemical Bonding

* FY-IV Weather Satellite

* Repairing Cornea with Stem Cells


 

SPECIAL ISSUES

10-Billion Loan for Environmental Protection

China Development Bank (CDB) and China Energy Conservation Investment Corporation (CECIC) have recently undersigned a fund raising agreement. Under the agreement, CDB will provide a policy loan worth RMB 10 billion to CECIC in the coming five years, in an effort to support a range of key projects demonstrating energy efficiency, environmental protection, and new energy.

According to the agreement, CECIC will made RMB 10 billion available for four pillar industries: 1) wind power generation. CECIC will establish a newly added installed capacity up to a million kilowatts by the end of 2007, and a combined installed capacity up to 4 million kilowatts in 2012, or one fourth of the nation’s total wind power generation capacity. CECIC will kick off the localization process of the key equipment in due time; 2) environment friendly utility water treatment. CECIC’s waste water treatment capacity will reach 15 million ton/day by 2007, and 50 million ton/day or more in 2012; 3) establishing a resource oriented harm-free and volume-reducing solid wastes processing industry. CECIC will expect a 50,000-ton daily capacity for treating living garbage in 2007. In the meantime, CECIC will, in line with relevant national planning, get fully involved in the hazardous and medical wastes treatment market. It plans to put 40 to 50 medical waste treatment projects into operation in 2006, with a 300-ton daily capacity; 4) enhancing the application of compressed natural gas (CNG). CECIC plans to expand the number of its CNG filling station to 228, with a daily sale of 2.6 million cubic meters. It also plans to add 800 new CNG filling stations during the period of 2008-2012.

Three Gorge Project More Innovations

Statistics show that the construction of the Three Gorge Project had in the past decade produced some ten S&T awards at the national level, more than 200 S&T awards at the provincial level, and over 700 invention patent applications.

During the period, numerous S&T findings and results found applications in the project, including assembly-line like concrete filling, deep-water current blockading and cofferdam construction, computer control system, advanced explosion techniques, metal structures for massive concrete filling, and manufacturing and installation of machinery and equipment.

The Three Gorge Project has worked on the following major R&D endeavors: developing major facilities and equipment needed by the project, reviewing eight individual technologies, studying the key issues concerning water hub projects, and developing set equipment for water hub projects. The research efforts have involved diverse disciplines, including sand and mud, shipping, hydrology, geology, water works, construction, building materials, metal structures, machinery and equipment, ecological environment, and cultures. In addition to the direct involvement of researchers from design, construction and supervision departments, several thousand researchers from some ten research institutes and universities are engaged in the research activities assigned by the project. The project has rolled out more than 2,000 S&T reports.

RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT

Progress in Chemical Bonding

A team of Chinese scientists, including HOU Jianguo and ZHU Qingshi, both academicians of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, and Prof. YANG Jinlong with University of Science and Technology of China (USTC), have recently performed an ‘operation’ on a cobalt phthalocyanine molecule adsorbed on the metal surface, and successfully placed the self-spin of the molecule under control, using a low-temperature and super vacuum scanning tunneling microscope.

The development marks the first chemical reaction triggered within a molecule, and changing and controlling its physical properties through a localized chemical reaction. The finding creates an extremely important new approach for realizing major physical effects, and for preparing functional components made up of single-molecule. The finding was published in the recent issue of Science, together with an introduction and review in the associated column. 

Starting from 2002, USTC researchers have worked tirelessly to unveil the physical and chemical properties of cobalt phthalocyanine molecule adsorbed on the metal surface. They skillfully cut away hydrogen atoms from the molecule, allowing this molecule to chemically bond to the metal substrate. Researchers found that when adsorbed on the metal surface, the cobalt phthalocyanine molecule will see a complete disappearance of the localized cobaltous magnetic array at its center. The accurate operation is able to change the molecule’s entire spatial and electronic structures. The technique can be used to change and control the self-spin of cobalt ions, allowing the appearance of Kondo resonance caused by localized magnetism.

FY-IV Weather Satellite

It was recently disclosed from the Shanghai Institute of Technical Physics, a part of the Chinese Academy of Sciences, that Chinese researchers have made smooth progress in developing two major optical payloads aboard on the FY-IV weather satellite.

The new satellite will offer a scanning speed as fast as 12,480km/second, with a visible accuracy of 1 km. It scans one third of the earth that contains China’s territories every 15 minutes, before producing a disk image. It can transmit what it “sees” through a 12-channel scanning radiometer to the ground stations. The powerful radiometer performs 2-D horizontal and vertical scanning, which shortens imaging time and empowers the instrument. It only takes 30 seconds for the radiometer to scan an area of 1000km2, which makes the real-time observation possible.

The satellite will also be equipped with a vertical sounder. Compared to traditional cameras that produce flat pictures, the vertical sounder offers three-dimensional imaging, through scanning the earth atmosphere layer by layer.

As a tri-axis stability satellite platform, FY-IV will provide high spectrum and high-resolution disk images of clouds and 3-D data on earth atmosphere and weathers, using on-board 12-channel scanning radiometer and vertical sounder.

Repairing Cornea with Stem Cells

Prof. LI Lingsong of Beijing Keyu StemCell Corp. and others discovered in a study that stem cells could speed up the healing of an injured cornea. The finding, published in the US journal of STEMCELLS in August, creates a new source for repairing cornea through self-body transplantation, and a new approach to treat human corneal disease.

Researchers cultured human adult and fetal limbal cells on human amniotic membrane. The cultured adult human limbal cells were transplanted onto rabbit corneas that were damaged through chemical means. Immunofluorescent staining of human-nuclear antigen, p63, K3, and connexin43 identified human-specific cells, progenitor cells, and differentiated corneal epithelial cells, respectively. After transplantation of adult human limbal cells cultured on human amniotic membrane, injured rabbit corneas were completely reconstructed. The finding indicates that the achieved therapeutic effects is possibly associated with the inflammation suppressing role of transplanted stem cells and the formation of blood vessels, rather than with undivided epithelial cells.

Sustained Technical Innovations for Solid Mines

A national key project to study the sustainable technological innovations  for China’s solid mine industry has produced phase results. Derived from the project are: a technical policy report on mineral resources development, and a revision draft illustrating the major points and explanations for technical policy of mineral resources development. Both reports have been submitted to experts for comments. The project has developed an indictor system with models and methods for evaluating dynamic technological innovations in solid mine industry. It designed supporting components for knowledge based decision-making management, also needed by the dynamic evaluation of technological innovations in the industry.  The project team is now working to program the components. The effort resulted in a technical policy for solid mine resources at the national level, incorporating iron and steel, non-ferrous metal, coal, and non-metal into an integrated industry. The technical policy has sorted out the common technical features of different mineral resources, while showing their differences. The document  is desirable for both macro and classified guidance. The study proposes, in a systematic and clear manner, the key technologies that need national priority support and encouragement, and the obsolete techniques that need to restrict, from a strategic view of resources, economy, ecologically coordinated development, while considering both current and long term needs. The technical policy is believed a powerful tool for providing necessary guidance for the industry.

Phase Results from Global Expedition

On August 24, 2005, DAYNAG I, a scientific expedition vessel, completed its deep-sea geological and environmental surveys, in the first part of the global scientific expedition. Derived from the expedition are 6 major results: scientists sketched out a preliminary map for a cobalt rich crust on the seabed, taking advantage of intensive specimen collection and image based investigation over the marine mountains in the northern Pacific Ocean; enriched the background information for mining applications, using the results of geophysical survey over the marine mountains; retrieved 2 deep-sea anchors laid some two years ago, from which long term seabed environmental parameters are derived. The parameters will be used in the study of seabed dynamics and environmental variations; an investigation was made to map environmental baselines and metal nodules, a mission defined in the exploration contract signed between the China Ocean Mineral Resources R & D Association and the International Seabed Authority; the high technologies and facilities developed by Chinese scientists for the purpose in recent years found successful applications in the expedition, which encourages the technical part of China’s marine exploration activities; rich environmental data were collected during the expedition, which makes a contribution to China’s deep marine research activities.

Advanced Hydro Generator Manufacturing

With the completion of installing the last generator among 14 others, the Three Gorge Zuoan Power Plant entered a test phase. Expecting to be put into operation in mid-September, the 14 generators at the site will be geared to a full-fledged operation.

On July 21, 2005, the power plant put into operation No. 14 generator, the first Chinese made and installed power set, a month ahead of schedule. Of 12 generators sitting on the site, 8 are independently designed, manufactured, and installed by Chinese.

The project has brought up a team of talented young engineers who can develop, design, and manufacture large hydro generators on their own. In the meantime, Chinese engineers made their design and manufacturing activities in line with internationally advanced technology and material standards. They also made technical transformation at domestic manufacturers, and established the quality control and scientific management systems, which enhances China’s international competitiveness in hydro generator making.

NEWS BRIEFS

22nd Recoverable Satellite Launched

At 16:45, August 29, 2005, China lifted off its 22nd recoverable satellite atop a CZ2D rocket from the Jiuquan Satellite Launch Center. The data received by the Xi’an Satellite Control Center show the smooth orbital entrance and operation of the satellite that is designed for scientific experiments. During orbiting, the satellite will mainly work on scientific experiments, land survey, mapping, and space technology related experiments.  The data and research findings derived from the satellite will be used in the nation’s scientific research and economic development. 

The launch makes the 87th flight of China’s CZ series carrier rockets, as well as a 45th successful launch in a row since October 1996.

More Earlier Life Findings

China has worked out a win-win collaboration pattern with foreign scientists in studying earlier earth life, and is becoming a global focus in the field, affirmed both Chinese and foreign scientists who attended the Fourth International Symposium on the Cambrian System that was closed not long ago in Nanjing.

SHU Degan, Director of the Institute of Earlier Life, part of China Northwestern University, told reporters that overseas scientists started the study earlier than China did, with the support of state-of-the-art facilities. What China possesses is a team of outstanding scholars with a unique fossil resource. The cooperation between Chinese and overseas scientists, therefore, makes both sides obtain more findings. In the last decade or so, SHU, who has published a dozen of academic papers in the journals of Nature and Science, has forged cooperation ties with scientists from diverse countries, including the UK, France, Germany, and Japan.


       Comments or inquiries on editorial matters or Newsletter content should be directed to:

Mr. Mao Zhongying, Department of International Cooperation, MOST 15B, Fuxing Road Beijing 100862, PR China  Tel: (8610)58881360 Fax: (8610) 58881364

http://www.most.gov.cn