Method and apparatus for producing small hollow spheres

Patent · Mon Jan 01 00:00:00 EST 1979

OSTI ID:863403

Hendricks, Charles D ^[1]

---

1. Livermore, CA

Method and apparatus for producing small hollow spheres of glass, metal or plastic, wherein the sphere material is mixed with or contains as part of the composition a blowing agent which decomposes at high temperature (T.gtoreq.600.degree. C.). As the temperature is quickly raised, the blowing agent decomposes and the resulting gas expands from within, thus forming a hollow sphere of controllable thickness. The thus produced hollow spheres (20 to 10.sup.3 .mu.m) have a variety of application, and are particularly useful in the fabrication of targets for laser implosion such as neutron sources, laser fusion physics studies, and laser initiated fusion power plants.

• Research Organization: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)
• DOE Contract Number: W-7405-ENG-48
• Assignee: United States of America as represented by United States (Washington, DC)
• Patent Number(s): US 4163637
• OSTI ID: 863403
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

method
apparatus
producing
hollow
spheres
glass
metal
plastic
sphere
material
mixed
contains
composition
blowing
agent
decomposes
temperature
gtoreq
600
degree
quickly
raised
resulting
gas
expands
forming
controllable
thickness
produced
20
10
variety
application
particularly
useful
fabrication
targets
laser
implosion
neutron
sources
fusion
physics
studies
initiated
power
plants
power plants
hollow spheres
blowing agent
particularly useful
power plant
neutron source
laser fusion
produced hollow
neutron sources
fusion power
gas expands
laser initiated
sphere material
hollow sphere
/425/376/