UCLA Researchers Produce Nuclear Fusion

In summary, scientists have successfully created nuclear fusion in a tabletop experiment using pyroelectric crystal and deuterated targets. While this is a breakthrough in clean energy potential, the amount of energy produced is too small for practical use. The results will be published in Nature and the experiment may be considered for commercial use as a portable neutron generator.
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loseyourname
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http://news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&ncid=753&e=1&u=/ap/20050427/ap_on_sc/tabletop_fusion

LOS ANGELES - A tabletop experiment created nuclear fusion — long seen as a possible clean energy solution — under lab conditions, scientists reported. But the amount of energy produced was too little to be seen as a breakthrough in solving the world's energy needs.

The article says that the results of this experiment will be published in Thursday's edition of Nature. I'm sure many of you have subscriptions. Would anybody care to recap?
 
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  • #2
I'll check it out tomorrow (assuming it'll be online as of the publication date).

- Warren
 
  • #3
Thanks Warren.
 
  • #4
ZapperZ posted about it in Nuclear Engineering forum.

Table-top fusion?
Apparently so - using pyroelectric crystal (Li tantalate) to produce a potential which accelerate deutrons at a deuterated target. Low yield though - 900 n/s.
 
  • #5
Astronuc said:
Low yield though - 900 n/s.
That's why Putterman said he's only considering commercializing this as a portable neutron generator.
 

1. What is nuclear fusion?

Nuclear fusion is a process in which two or more atomic nuclei combine to form a heavier nucleus, releasing a large amount of energy in the process.

2. How does the UCLA researchers' nuclear fusion differ from other methods?

The UCLA researchers' nuclear fusion uses a technique called inertial electrostatic confinement, which involves trapping ions in a magnetic field and then heating them to high temperatures to induce fusion. This differs from other methods, such as magnetic confinement fusion, which uses powerful magnets to contain and heat plasma.

3. What are the potential benefits of nuclear fusion?

Nuclear fusion has the potential to provide a nearly limitless source of clean energy, as it produces no greenhouse gases or long-lived radioactive waste. It also uses widely available fuel, such as hydrogen, and does not produce the same safety concerns as nuclear fission reactors.

4. Is nuclear fusion currently feasible on a large scale?

Nuclear fusion has not yet been achieved on a large scale, but researchers are continually making progress and developing new technologies. The UCLA researchers' recent success in producing nuclear fusion is a significant step towards making it feasible on a larger scale.

5. What are the next steps for the UCLA researchers' nuclear fusion project?

The UCLA researchers will continue to refine their method and work towards producing even more energy from their fusion reactions. They also plan to collaborate with other research groups to further advance the field of nuclear fusion and bring it closer to practical use for energy production.

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