Development of aerogel-lined targets for inertial confinement fusion experiments

Abstract

This thesis explores the formation of ICF compatible foam layers inside of an ablator shell used for inertial confinement fusion experiments at the National Ignition Facility. In particular, the capability of p-DCPD polymer aerogels to serve as a scaffold for the deuterium-tritium mix was analyzed. Four different factors were evaluated: the dependency of different factors such as thickness or composition of a precursor solution on the uniformity of the aerogel layer, how to bring the optimal composition inside of the ablator shell, the mechanical stability of ultra-low density p-DCPD aerogel bulk pieces during wetting and freezing with hydrogen, and the wetting behavior of thin polymer foam layers in HDC carbon ablator shells with liquid deuterium.