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.
G. E. Dale, M. A. Bourham
Fusion Science and Technology | Volume 34 | Number 3 | November 1998 | Pages 901-907
Plasma Facing Components Technology (Poster Session) | doi.org/10.13182/FST98-A11963727
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
This paper describes melt-layer erosion experiments conducted at North Carolina State University. Metallic samples are exposed to a pulsed plasma heat flux produced by an electrothermal plasma gun. Results for aluminum (2042 Al), copper (OFHC Cu), and stainless steel (316 SS) samples are discussed. The electrothermal plasma gun operated at discharge energies between 0.07 and 8.62 kJ. The sample absorbed fluence ranged between 0.09 and 1.93 MJ/m2. The net erosion depth of aluminum approached 1 mm at high energies. Following exposure the samples are bisected to reveal the thickness of material resolidified to the surface. A thickness of resolidified material on an aluminum sample in excess of 50 μm is observed.