Fusion fuel containers and system

Abstract

A fusion fuel composition has two or more light nuclei combined with a cage-like molecule. The light nuclei may be, for example, deuterium and tritium, and the cage-like molecule may be, for example, a fullerene molecule. A fusion reaction to consume the fusion fuel may be ignited, for example, via compression methods including chemical or laser.

1 . A method for initiating fusion using a fusion fuel, the method comprising:
 generating a high energy beam; and   directing said high energy beam at a fusion fuel, wherein:
 the fusion fuel includes a plurality of cage-like molecules having multiple enclosed light nuclei; 
 the high energy beam compresses the cage-like molecules; and 
 the compression of the cage-like molecules facilitates fusion of the light nuclei. 
   
   
   
       2 . The method of  claim 1 , wherein the cage-like molecule is a fullerene molecule. 
   
   
       3 . A method for initiating fusion, the method comprising:
 providing a fusion fuel including multiple light nuclei; and   compressing said fusion fuel using a compression method to initiate fusion of the light nuclei.   
   
   
       4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the outer diameter of the cage-like molecule is less than about 100 nanometers. 
   
   
       5 . The method of  claim 4  wherein the outer diameter is between 0.5 and 50 nanometers. 
   
   
       6 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the light nuclei are a pair of atoms selected from the pairs in the following group: deuterium and tritium; and deuterium and deuterium. 
   
   
       7 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the cage-like molecule comprises a closed structure. 
   
   
       8 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the cage-like molecule is a fullerene molecule. 
   
   
       9 . The method of  claim 8  wherein the fullerene molecule contains 60 to 70 carbon atoms. 
   
   
       10 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising introducing at least one of the two light nuclei into the cage-like molecule using ion implantation. 
   
   
       11 . The method of  claim 3  further comprising introducing at least one of the two light nuclei into the cage-like molecule by placing the cage-like molecule and the at least one light nuclei in a high-pressure environment. 
   
   
       12 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the compression method includes a particle beam colliding with the cage-like molecule. 
   
   
       13 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the compression method includes electromagnetic waves impinging on the fusion fuel. 
   
   
       14 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the electromagnetic waves are microwaves. 
   
   
       15 . The method of  claim 13 , wherein the electromagnetic waves are x-rays. 
   
   
       16 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein the compression method uses a laser system. 
   
   
       17 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the laser system is used to create X-rays, said X-rays compressing the fusion fuel. 
   
   
       18 . The method of  claim 16 , wherein the laser system is used directly to compress the fusion fuel. 
   
   
       19 . The method of  claim 3 , wherein one or more molecules are attached to the outside of the cage-like molecule to enhance the compression method. 
   
   
       20 . The method of  claim 19 , wherein said one or more molecules are energetic groups, whereby explosion of said energetic groups compress said fusion fuel. 
   
   
       21 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein heated helium molecules are used to initiate explosion of said energetic groups. 
   
   
       22 . The method of  claim 20 , wherein said energetic groups are any of the following: Octanitrocubane (C8N8O16), Heptanitrocubane (C8N7O14), and CL-20 (C6H6N12O12). 
   
   
       23 . A system for compressing a fusion fuel to initiate fusion, the system comprising:
 means for generating a high energy beam;   means for storing the fusion fuel; and   means for directing said high energy beam at said fusion fuel;   wherein the fusion fuel includes a plurality of cage-like molecules, said cage-like molecules including two or more light nuclei;   wherein the high energy beam compresses the cage-like molecules; and   wherein compression of the cage-like molecules facilitates fusion of the light nuclei.   
   
   
       24 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the high energy beam is a particle beam. 
   
   
       25 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the high energy beam is an electromagnetic wave. 
   
   
       26 . The system of  claim 23 , wherein the two or more light nuclei are atoms selected from the following group: deuterium and tritium; and deuterium and deuterium.