Chapter 1677 - 1583: Dawn of the Electrical Age

Chapter 1677: Chapter 1583: Dawn of the Electrical Age

Lavoisier saw the expectant expression on the Regent’s face and awkwardly coughed, saying, "Ahem, Your Highness, actually, our preparation technology is not yet capable of producing qualified railway pads, and the shock absorption effect of the wheels is quite limited.

"So the most valuable products at the moment are raincoats, rain boots, sealing rings, and buttons..."

The assistant beside him, oblivious to the mood, picked up a dark brown raincoat to show the Regent.

It’s understandable why he felt proud. You see, this raincoat could sell for 9 francs!

Europe had long made raincoats from raw rubber, by applying a layer of raw rubber to the fabric, which was waterproof but became sticky in summer and hard as a board in winter, sticking to the skin.

Even at 8 sous apiece, no one wanted them.

But vulcanized raincoats completely solved these issues, making them comfortable and durable to wear, thus directly increasing the price by more than tenfold!

Yet the assistant didn’t realize that raincoats were not what the Regent wanted most.

Joseph was momentarily stunned before recalling that Lavoisier had previously mentioned that the thickness of vulcanized rubber parts was only 1.6 centimeters, roughly the thickness of his pinky.

Lavoisier hurriedly explained, "Your Highness, you know that optimizing rubber is done at high temperatures. If the rubber part is too thick, the interior hasn’t ’optimized’ before the surface has overreacted.

"We are expediting the development of a new process."

"No, you have already done very well," Joseph encouraged, "even the current process is worthy of large-scale production."

Yes, don’t underestimate things like raincoats, shoe soles, and buttons. Once the production volume rises, they will definitely sell throughout Europe, yielding profits in the tens of millions of francs!

Especially raincoats, which could even enhance the army’s combat effectiveness — when it rains heavily on the battlefield, our soldiers can stay dry while the enemy’s soldiers are soaked. The advantage is glaringly obvious.

Joseph immediately asked the most important question: "Is the technology for coating copper wires with rubber layers mature?"

At this point, no one had the concept of "electric wires," so he merely referred to copper wires.

The Voltaic battery from Kullen had already been updated to the second generation, with denser stacked zinc plates and perforations in the zinc plates. Joseph estimated the battery voltage was already approaching 1 volt — currently, there was no equipment to measure voltage, and standardized measurement units did not yet include voltage.

At the same time, the battery’s power also increased several folds. The frequency of battery replacement for electric bells installed in wealthy Parisian homes had significantly reduced — with the influence of the Palace of Versailles, electric bells had become the new fashionable item in France for showcasing status.

This laid the foundation for the development of the telegraph.

Three hurdles were currently standing in front of the telegraph: a sensitive and reliable electromagnet, relay technology, and insulated electric wires.

The third point is the most crucial and involves the chemical industry.

Lavoisier, with a bitter expression, said, "Your Highness, coating copper wires with optimized rubber is not difficult because it only requires a very thin layer, so it was produced right after the raincoat."

"However, another problem has arisen." He signaled the assistant, who was still holding the raincoat, to bring a wire from the product cabinet. Using a small knife, he scraped off the surface’s vulcanized rubber, revealing that the copper wire underneath had turned black.

"Evidently, the sulfur has severely corroded the copper. I’ve done tests, and the blackened copper wire is extremely prone to breaking, with the corrosion continuously deepening.

"I am still developing a new process..."

He lowered his head while speaking, and it wasn’t the first time he said this today.

Joseph frowned, recalling that sulfur reacts with copper at high temperatures.

He immediately said, "No need to improve the rubber optimization process. Just coat the copper wire with a layer of tin outside."

Indeed, historically, technicians solved the sulfur corrosion problem in this straightforward manner.

Although this would increase the production cost of electric wires, at this time, electric wires themselves were high-tech.

And one characteristic of high technology is the lack of concern for costs.

Lavoisier immediately slapped his forehead, "Right, why didn’t I think of such a simple method? I’ll start trial production at once!"

At five in the afternoon, Joseph completed his inspection of the Royal Second Chemical Factory but didn’t return to the Palace of Versailles immediately. Instead, he took the severely corroded 5-meter-long wire to the French Academy of Sciences.

As soon as Kullen saw the Regent, he eagerly approached, saluting, "Your Highness, the International Metric Standards Committee has accepted my proposal to use ’Louis’ as the unit for voltage."

Joseph blinked, his mind involuntarily conjuring up scenes of future students cursing daily due to the widespread use of the ’Louis’ unit across physics, chemistry, medicine, metallurgy, and even military studies, creating all sorts of confusion.

He quickly shook his head, "I think it should be ’Volt’ as the unit for voltage."

On one hand, it was to do some good for future students, and on the other, it was what he was accustomed to using.

"’Volt’?" Kullen asked puzzled, "What does it represent?"

Joseph casually said, "Ah, it’s a devotion to the Holy Mother Mary."

The first sound of Holy Mother Mary was "Volt."

Kullen and others, like Volta, quickly made the sign of the cross on their chests, chanting Holy Mother Mary.

Well, Mr. Volta never imagined that this unit was actually related to him.

Not long after, when Kullen connected the wire Joseph brought to the battery, he immediately exclaimed excitedly, "God! This thing is simply amazing, not only lightweight and convenient to connect, but also excellently insulated!"

He casually threw the previous wires, thicker than a thumb and wrapped in sheepskin and felt, into the trash bin.

This batch of wires, although problematic, could handle the current single-digit voltages before being corroded through.

Joseph beckoned him and Volta closer, instructing, "In the future, the chemical factory will provide you with more of these wires.

"Now, I need you to lead scholars in the field of electricity to begin researching an entirely new device I call the telegraph."

The eyes of the two electricity masters immediately sparkled with zeal, as if the next Supreme Louis Award in physics was already beckoning them.

Joseph, however, appeared very patient, "Of course, before that, you also need to carry out some theoretical work in the field of electricity, improve measurement tools, and design some essential apparatus..."

...

July 9, 1802.

The ceasefire negotiations with Hungary had reached a small stalemate — while other conditions were agreed upon, the Emperor’s negotiators steadfastly refused to change the country’s name, and the upper echelons of the Hungarian Parliament, egged on by some ’special guests,’ continued to persist.

Meanwhile, a highly influential centennial wedding was taking place in Munich.