Mayonnaise Helped Solve Nuclear Fusion Dilemma

Physicists are investigating nuclear fusion technology using an unlikely material: mayonnaise. A new study published in the journal Physical Review E by scientists at Lehigh University shows how this common condiment can help understand the behavior of plasma in nuclear fusion reactors, a vital issue in harnessing nearly infinite clean energy. This is prepared by SSP.

In their experiments, researcher Arindam Banerjee and his team used mayonnaise because its properties can oscillate between being solid and flowing under different pressure conditions—similar to the behavior of molten metal in fusion reactors. "Mayonnaise acts like a solid but moves when subjected to pressure, mimicking how we expect plasma to behave under the extreme conditions of nuclear fusion," explains Banerjee.

Nuclear fusion generates energy by forging helium from hydrogen, akin to the reactions powering stars. Achieving this on Earth demands replication of the sun’s high temperatures—about 27 million degrees Fahrenheit—and pressures which naturally compress hydrogen atoms. However, Earth's fusion reactors require temperatures 10 times higher due to the absence of such natural pressure.

One method to attain these extreme conditions is the inertial confinement fusion. Here, tiny hydrogen-isotope fuel pellets are enclosed in metal capsules and blasted with lasers, quickly heating the gas to form a plasma conducive to fusion. Unfortunately, these high temperatures cause rapid expansion and explosion of the metal before fusion occurs optimally.

Ironically, the situation mirrors the behavior of mayonnaise—a substance viewed as a complex fluid exhibiting elasticity, plasticity, and flow. Banerjee’s experiments with mayonnaise in a churning wheel machine sought to decipher under what conditions the paste transitions between these states. This can impart insights about staving off instabilities in the fusion process, particularly ensuring the fusion capsule remains stable longer for optimal energy yield.

Moreover, this inquiry relates back to earlier studies led by Banerjee, where the flowing and structural properties of Hellmann's Real Mayonnaise had been dissected to gain clues about the tension and pressures within fusion reactors. Though clinical conditions and mayonnaise substantially differ, the condiment model offers a tangible way to simulate and study unexpected states enabling better practical solutions for sustainable energy harnessed through nuclear fusion.