Scientists Think We're Overestimating a Promising Fusion Reactor Ingredient
A new study published in Physical Review Letters suggests that tungsten, a metal previously considered ideal for fusion reactors, is more susceptible to radiation damage than scientists initially thought. Researchers found that high-energy neutrons from fusion reactions can cause significant atomic-level deterioration in tungsten components.
Why it matters
Tungsten is a critical material for the development of viable nuclear fusion energy; discovering its limitations could force a shift in reactor design or material science strategies.
Nuclear fusion harnesses the immense energy released by the union of two lightweight particles. This requires extremely high temperatures and pressures—literally, this is how stars power themselves—and, needless to say, there’s not much that can come out unscathed from being exposed to fusion.
That unfortunately appears to include tungsten, a rare metal touted by researchers as a promising ingredient for fusion reactors. In a recent study published in Physical Review Letters, physicists ran large-scale simulations that revealed tungsten was far more vulnerable to deterioration inside fusion reactors than was previously believed. What made researchers excited about tungsten was its exceptional durability against extreme heat, but the new work suggests all that may be for naught considering the immense radiation produced in fusion reactors.
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