Hi. a simple question on endothermic fusion

[duration]

Would it be feasible theoretically to use a continuous endothermic fusion reaction as a high-energy heat sink?
Would such a process be capable of producing unstable isotopes for use in nuclear fission?

I ask this as a science fiction writer and I would dearly love input and even direction or further information on the subject. Thank you!

 

[zhangyanxi]

I don't think it will be possible to do that at normal temperature, you know, nucleus need enough energy to get over Columb potential to get close enough to become another kind of nucleus. Typically the temperature is millions of degrees.

 

[duration]

So if a device could successfully enter an area where such temperatures occur naturally, such as the core of a star, (which I know seems entirely unreasonable as such a device would be crushed, dispersed, and fused itself) then at least the heat sink portion of that question is a positive?

Do the temperature requirements for nuclear fusion increase as the nuclei become heavier, or just the total energy? I have done a bit of research and most texts are unclear (I'm an author not a physicist!) and I can't really find any pertinent information on the subject.

I have also heard of electromagnetic fields containing and compressing plasma composed of hydrogen for the purpose of exothermic fusion, would this same process theoretically work for an endothermic reaction?

 

[Meir Achuz]

Your idea is 65 years old. Plutonium 239 is produced by the fusion of a neutron and Uranium 238.

 

[duration]

I'm aware of the process used to produce 239 for weaponry, however, I was more interested in using the process as an extremely fast mechanism for simultaneously reducing heat as well as producing fuel.

If this isn't speculatively impossible, I'd like to use it as a plot device, somewhat of a (fictional) bridge between solid fuel propulsion and something like the fabled Alcubierre drive, essentially storing the heat of a star

I know that the current method for synthesizing 239 involves particle accelerators as opposed to using electromagnetic implosion on plasma. I was asking if it's theoretically possible or impossible to use thermal energy in the order of a solar core as opposed to long distance collisions.