Profile: Wang Zeshan -- Master of gunpowder

NANJING, Jan. 8 (Xinhua) -- Wang Zeshan, winner of China's top science award Monday, is known as China's Alfred Nobel for his contributions to the study of gunpowder, one of ancient China's four era-defining inventions.

During 60 years of researching gunpowder, Wang has designed several new propellant charging theories and technologies, helping to improve the launch range of China's artillery by more than 20 percent, lifting the nation's ballistic performance of similar artillery above international levels.

The dynamite specialist was the first to develop technology for reusing obsolete explosives, turning a potential threat to the environment and security into more than 20 popular military and civilian products both at home and abroad.

He has also made breakthroughs in propellant charging technologies with low temperature sensitivity.

Wang, professor with Nanjing University of Science & Technology and an academician of the Chinese Academy of Engineering, was born in 1935 in northeast China's Jilin Province, then under the occupation of Japanese aggressors.

This is not the first time Wang has received a national-level award. He won the first prize in national sci-tech progress awards, and two more top national technology invention awards.

Wang still spends about 12 hours a day working, despite his age.

Research on flammable explosives is usually conducted in the field under extreme conditions. One month before he won the top national science award Monday, he visited the country's desert twice for experiments.

Wang now has a new goal.

"The problem of solvent-free manufacturing of smokeless powder has not been solved since it emerged more than 100 years ago. We're planning to replace the current technology with a new breakthrough," Wang said. Enditem