Scientists at Lehigh University are exploring the potential of mayonnaise to revolutionize nuclear fusion research. The condiment, known for its creamy texture and versatile culinary applications, is being used as an unexpected model to understand the complex behavior of plasma in fusion reactors.
“We’re still working on the same problem, which is the structural integrity of fusion capsules used in inertial confinement fusion, and Hellmann’s Real Mayonnaise is still helping us in the search for solutions,” says Arindam Banerjee, the Paul B. Reinhold Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics at Lehigh University and Chair of the MEM department in the PC Rossin College of Engineering and Applied Science.
The research team has discovered that mayonnaise, while typically considered a solid, exhibits fluid-like properties when subjected to specific pressure conditions. This behavior closely mirrors the characteristics of plasma, the superheated state of matter essential for nuclear fusion.
As per a release by the Lehigh University, in simple terms, fusion reactions are what power the sun. If the process could be harnessed on earth, scientists believe it could offer a nearly limitless and clean energy source for humanity. However, replicating the sun’s extreme conditions is an incredibly complex challenge. Researchers across science and engineering disciplines, including Banerjee and his team, are examining the problem from a multitude of perspectives.
Inertial confinement fusion is a process that initiates nuclear fusion reactions by rapidly compressing and heating capsules filled with fuel, in this case, isotopes of hydrogen. When subjected to extreme temperatures and pressure, these capsules melt and form plasma, the charged state of matter that can generate energy.
By studying the flow patterns and instabilities within mayonnaise, researchers aim to gain insights into the challenges associated with controlling plasma in fusion reactors. Ultimately, this knowledge could lead to breakthroughs in harnessing the immense energy potential of nuclear fusion for clean and sustainable power generation.
“At those extremes, you’re talking about millions of degrees Kelvin and gigapascals of pressure as you’re trying to simulate conditions in the sun,” says Banerjee. “One of the main problems associated with this process is that the plasma state forms these hydrodynamic instabilities, which can reduce the energy yield.”
The team’s previous work, published in 2019, also utilized mayonnaise to explore the fundamental physics of fusion. This ongoing research represents a novel approach to one of the most significant challenges in energy science.
“We use mayonnaise because it behaves like a solid, but when subjected to a pressure gradient, it starts to flow,” he says. Using the condiment also negates the need for high temperatures and pressure conditions, which are exceedingly difficult to control.
