Fabrication of iron (III) oxide doped polystyrene shells

Abstract

A type of iron (III) oxide doped plastic shell used for inertial confinement fusion experiments has been fabricated by emulsion techniques. Three different phases of solution (W1, O, and W2) are used for the fabrication process. The W1 phase is a 1 wt % of sodium lauryl sulfate in water. This W1 phase solution is mixed with a 3 wt % Fe2O3–polystyrene (PS) solution in benzene-dichloroethane (O phase) while stirring. The resulting emulsion (W1/O) is poured into a 3 wt % aqueous polyvinyl alcohol solution (W2 phase) while stirring. The resulting emulsion (W1/O/W2) is then heated to evaporate benzene and dichloroethane, and thus a solid Fe2O3–PS shell is formed. The diameter and wall thickness of the shells range from 150 to 500 μm and 5 to 15 μm, respectively. The average surface roughness of the shells is 40 nm, similar to that of the usual PS shells.