Sandwich to star power: Mayonnaise may unlock ‘never unstable’ nuclear fusion | Although mayonnaise typically behaves as a solid, when subjected to a pressure gradient, it begins to flow in a manner similar to plasma under comparable conditions.

From the article: Researchers at Lehigh University are experimenting with mayonnaise to unlock the secrets of nuclear fusion, a potential source of limitless, clean energy.

This research builds on their previous work, published in 2019, which also utilized mayonnaise to understand the physics behind fusion.

“We use mayonnaise because it behaves like a solid, but when subjected to a pressure gradient, it starts to flow,” said Arindam Banerjee, the Paul B. Reinhold Professor of Mechanical Engineering and Mechanics at Lehigh University.

This characteristic of mayonnaise mimics the behavior of plasma under similar conditions.

Nuclear fusion, the process that powers the sun, is a potential source of limitless energy. But replicating the sun’s extreme conditions on Earth is challenging.

One approach to achieving fusion is inertial confinement fusion (ICF). This technique involves compressing and heating tiny capsules filled with hydrogen isotopes, the fuel for fusion reactions.

Under immense pressure and temperature, the fuel becomes plasma, a charged state of matter that can generate energy.

“At those extremes, you’re talking about millions of degrees Kelvin and gigapascals of pressure as you’re trying to simulate conditions in the sun,” added Banerjee.