Skip to main content
Image
Cross-section of the target chamber in an artist’s concept of an inertial fusion energy power plant

LLNL researchers have developed additive manufactured fuel targets for IFE.  They have been successful in using TPL to fabricate low density (down to 60 mg/cm3) and low atomic number (CHO) polymeric foams for potential targets, and some have been tested at the OMEGA Laser Facility. With TPL, LLNL researchers have also been able to fabricate a full fuel capsule with diameter of ~ 5mm or…

Image
LLNL researchers prepare an experiment in a spherical chamber at the High Explosives Applications Facility (HEAF)

LLNL has developed a method that adds a polyamine based crosslinker and an acid receptor, based on MgO nanoparticles into a polymer bonded PBX, where the polymer binder is a fluoropolymer containing vinylidene difluoride functionality.  Crosslinking kinetics can then be controlled by selecting an appropriate amine structure, pressing temperature and optionally the addition of a chemical…

Image
High Explosives Science, abstract smoke stock photo

LLNL researchers uses Additive Manufacturing (AM) to create reinforcing scaffolds that can be integrated with High Explosives (HE) or solid rocket fuel with minimal volume fraction. Its main benefit is to create stability in harsh field conditions.  Its secondary benefit is providing another method to finely tune blast performance or fuel burn. Creating complex shapes with structural…

Image
NIF Lasers

This invention configures multiple spherical substrate targets to roll independently of one another.  The spheres’ rolling motion is deliberately randomized to promote uniform coating while eliminating the interaction (rubbing, sliding) of adjacent spheres that is present in conventional sphere coating designs. The devices’ novel structure features enable the collimation of depositing…