Material Characterization of Hierarchical Tunable Pore Size Polymer Foams Used in the MARBLE Mix Morphology Experiment. (2nd October 2020)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Cardenas, T.; Murphy, T. J.; Kuettner, L.; Patterson, B.; Goodwin, L.; Cluff, K.; Oertel, J.; Day, T.; Edwards, S.; Hamilton, C. E.; Randolph, R.; Henderson, K.; Cowan, J.; Shin, S. J.; Bhandarkar, S.; Kozioziemski, B. J.
• Is Part Of: Fusion science and technology. Volume 76:Number 7(2020)
• Page Start: 795
• Page End: 806
• Publication Date: 2020-10-02
• Subjects: Polymer foams -- deuterium content -- hydrogen adsorption -- confocal X-ray fluorescence -- micro X-ray computed tomography; Fusion reactors -- Periodicals; Nuclear fusion -- Periodicals; Fusion reactors; Nuclear fusion; Periodicals; 621.48405
• DOI: 10.1080/15361055.2020.1790713
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1536-1055

Abstract

Abstract: One of the great challenges of inertial confinement fusion and high energy density experiments is understanding the effects of mix on thermonuclear burn. The MARBLE campaign, conceived at Los Alamos National Laboratory, aims to gather new insights into this issue by utilizing unique target capsules containing polymer foams of variable pore sizes, tunable over an order of magnitude. Such capsules allow the degree of initial heterogeneity to be controlled experimentally for the first time. Here, we describe the various characterization efforts used to gain understanding of the chemical structure and behavior of the foam. Previous experiments were not sensitive to foam physical properties, and the MARBLE platform has aided in the development of techniques to measure foam properties such as deuterium content, density variation, hydrogen adsorption, and pore size and volume distribution.