ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
Latest Magazine Issues
Feb 2026
Jul 2025
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
March 2026
Nuclear Technology
February 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
January 2026
Latest News
Fusion energy: Progress, partnerships, and the path to deployment
Over the past decade, fusion energy has moved decisively from scientific aspiration toward a credible pathway to a new energy technology. Thanks to long-term federal support, we have significantly advanced our fundamental understanding of plasma physics—the behavior of the superheated gases at the heart of fusion devices. This knowledge will enable the creation and control of fusion fuel under conditions required for future power plants. Our progress is exemplified by breakthroughs at the National Ignition Facility and the Joint European Torus.
M. F. Smith, R. D. Watson, J. B. Whitley, J. M. McDonald
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 8 | Number 1 | July 1985 | Pages 1174-1183
Beryllium Technology | Proceedings of the Sixth Topical Meeting on the Technology of Fusion Energy (San Francisco, California, March 3-7, 1985) | doi.org/10.13182/FST85-A39927
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Materials testing of S-65-B grade beryllium has been conducted in order to evaluate the use of this material for limiter surfaces in the ISX-B and JET tokamaks. Selected thermal and mechanical properties were measured at temperatures up to 700 °C. These measurements revealed that S-65-B has exceptionally high ductility (up to roughly 50% elongation) at temperatures expected in normal operation of a beryllium limiter. Thermal fatigue tests under conditions relevant to limiters in ISX-B and JET were also performed using the Sandia National Laboratories Electron Beam Test System (EBTS). Results from these tests were compared to calculated results based on elastic-plastic finite element stress analyses. It was concluded from these tests and analyses that properly designed beryllium limiters should survive normal operation in ISX-B, JET, and similar devices without serious structural failure. Some degree of surface cracking can be expected, however, unless cyclic plastic deformation at the heated surfaces can be adequately controlled by careful design of the limiter.