MAGNETS: The Secret Force Behind Nuclear Fusion?

Magnets. A seemingly trivial thing that holds your shopping list on the fridge or reminds you of last year's vacation. In reality, however, magnets are the invisible backbone of our entire modern world. They are hidden all around us, from smartphones, to cars, to power plants. And right now, they are becoming the key to the greatest scientific adventure of the 21st century, nuclear fusion. How can an ordinary magnet become the key to infinite energy? That's what you'll find out in this episode. Even though we barely perceive the presence of magnets, they are among the most important components of our modern civilization. Just take a look at an ordinary smartphone. It contains several magnets. They are found in the speakers, the camera's optical stabilization system, and even on the motherboard for precise guiding of electrical signals. We also find them in refrigerators, computers, headphones, as well as in electric motors and generators. In all these devices, they help convert electrical energy into mechanical motion, or vice versa. They can transmit sound waves or keep data stored on hard drives. If you entirely removed magnets, the vast majority of what we call modern life would stop immediately. There are two main types of magnets. The first are the so-called permanent magnets. They retain their magnetic properties even without the supply of electric current. A typical example is a small fridge magnet or the famous neodymium magnets, which are currently among the strongest permanent magnets based on rare earths. The second type is electromagnets, which are coils of wire through which electric current flows. Once the current is turned off, the magnetic force disappears. We find electromagnets in automatic switches that turn electrical devices on or off remotely, in lifting cranes, at scrapyards, or even in magnetic resonance imaging. Today, the strongest permanent magnets are made from rare metals such as neodymium or samarium. Currently, China controls over 90% of the processing of these key materials. And if we want to move towards mass production of electric cars or build extensive wind farms, rare earth elements will become critical raw materials. Simply put, whoever controls the supply of rare earth elements significantly influences global innovations. Several countries, including European ones, are therefore intensively trying to secure their own sources and establish new mines. For example, promising deposits have been found in Norway that could significantly help Europe with its dependency on imports from China. However, the extraction, processing, and production of finished magnets is extremely demanding and costly. In addition to searching for new deposits, scientists are also developing alternative materials. One of the most promising directions is a magnet based on iron and nitrogen, the so-called iron nitride magnet. Its production is extremely demanding, as this compound does not naturally form under normal conditions and is very difficult to keep stable. For example, the company Neuron Magnetics in the United States is working on its production. If they could offer mass production of high-performance iron nitride magnets, a large number of automotive and electronics companies would have enormous interest in their technology. However, it is currently a material that suffers from insufficient resistance when exposed to strong external magnetic fields and thus needs further development. In the world of science, something even more powerful is being worked on, specifically superconducting magnets. These only operate at extremely low temperatures, but they are capable of creating magnetic fields so strong that they could lift an aircraft carrier. And these magnets are the key to mastering nuclear fusion. In tokamak-type nuclear fusion reactors, exceptionally strong superconducting magnets are used to confine the hot plasma at a temperature higher than 100 million degrees Celsius. In such a plasma, the nuclei of light elements fuse, generating an enormous amount of energy similar to the sun. However, constructing a magnet of such strength and keeping it operational is extremely expensive and technically complex. In France, the largest international nuclear fusion project, the ITER reactor, is currently being constructed, with cooperation from more than 30 countries. The aim is to build the strongest magnet in the world, which is a key component for maintaining the extremely hot plasma needed for producing clean energy through the fusion of atoms. This giant central solenoid, designed and tested in the United States, is supposed to create an invisible magnetic cage that can hold extremely hot plasma exactly where a fusion reaction can occur. The first plasma initiation is planned for the year 2033. However, long delays and technical complications show how demanding and unpredictable this journey is. A similar goal is pursued by Commonwealth Fusion Systems, which, in collaboration with researchers from MIT, is developing a special superconducting magnet known as HTS. It represents a significant technological advancement. It operates at higher temperatures than conventional superconductors, making its cooling less demanding. At the same time, it allows for the creation of stronger magnetic fields, which paves the way for smaller, cheaper, and more energy-efficient fusion reactors. In smaller and flexible projects in the field of nuclear fusion, a new generation of superconductors, so-called high-temperature superconducting tapes, plays a key role. They can conduct massive currents almost without loss, while not requiring extreme cooling near absolute zero. Thanks to this technology, smaller, cheaper, and more efficient fusion reactors could be developed that might become a commercially available source of clean energy in the future. The biggest challenge in the field of nuclear fusion right now is to prove that it can truly be a source of clean and efficient energy. In other words, for the reactor to produce more energy than is consumed in the fusion reaction process itself. This has only been achieved in a few laboratory experiments so far, but never in a facility ready for regular operation. It's hard to say if magnets can help solve the environmental and geopolitical problems we face, but one thing is certain. Their development is heading towards even stronger and more reliable variants that can change the way we obtain and use energy. Did you like the role magnets play in the world of technology? Let us know in the comments and don't forget to click like and subscribe, so you don't miss any news from the world of future technology.