Illustration of a nuclear fusion reactor
Photo of Science Library / Alamy
Unlimited power nuclear fusion It can be a step after the unexpected discovery of a new isotope lithium-6 supply, essential to provide fuels for sustainable fusion reactors.
The smallest process of fusion is a combination of two isotopes of hydrogen, deuterium and tritium, giving a lot of helium, neutron and energy. Tritius, a rare radioactive isotope of hydrogen, is difficult and expensive. “Breeders” reactors seek to manufacture tritius by bombing lithium neutrons.
Lithium atoms are two stable isotopes: Lithium-7 is 92.5 percent of the element in nature and the rest is Lithium-6. Strange isotopes reacts much more effectively to produce the neutron tritium in the fusion reaction.
However, the two lithium isotopes are very difficult to distinguish. So far, this has only been achieved on a large scale using a very toxic process based on the mercury. Due to the impact on the environment, this process has not been used in western countries in the 1960s and the researchers must be based on the lithium-6 warehouses created before the ban.
Sarbajit Banerjee They found a method of alternative so far in Switzerland and his colleagues, while drilling oil was looking for ways to clean the contaminated water.
The researchers noticed that cement membranes with a laboratory compound called Silk Vanadio Oxide, which included large quantities of lithium and seemed to be isolated lithium-6.
Zeta Vanadio Oxide has tunnels surrounded by oxygen atom, says Banerjee. “Lithium ions move through these tunnels, those who need to have a proper size (linking Lithium-6),” he said. “We found that lithium-6 ions are strongly connected and they are kept inside the tunnels.”
Researchers do not understand why lithium-6 is maintained, but based on simulations, they believe that it has to do with the interactions between the ions and tunnels, according to Banerjee.
So far they said they are isolated less than 6 grams of lithium, but they expect to scale the process, creating tens of isotope. A trading fusion reactor is expected to be required by item tones every day.
“However, these challenges are pale compared to plasma reactors and laser ignition,” says Banerjee.
Themes:
