2023/08/02 by R. V. Duncan, Cuikun Lin, Duncan, R. V. +5
Engineering · Physics and Astronomy · #FOS: Physical sciences #Nuclear Physics and Applications #Nuclear physics research studies #Nuclear reactor physics and engineering #Physics and Society (physics.soc-ph)
paper · pdf · doi:10.48550/arxiv.2308.01434
openalex publication_date 2023/08/02 · openalex created_date 2025/10/10 · openalex updated_date 2026/07/28
Future advanced nuclear rocket propulsion, and the availability of new nuclear power cycle designs, will benefit substantially from the large current investment in alternative nuclear energy that is underway today. We propose a new nuclear cycle which includes the primary fission of lithium-6, followed by secondary fusion of deuterium and tritium, and a secondary fission of lithium-7 by tritium. This cycle does not produce nuclear waste from its nuclear fuel, since all byproducts of these cascade reactions are stable, provided that the triton production during the primary reaction is fully consumed in the secondary reactions. This cycle may, however, activate surrounding technical materials from its neutron flux. This light-element nuclear fuel is readily obtained through the ongoing expansion of the lithium mining industry and electric vehicle (EV) battery recycling industries.