ORONO, Maine, July 16 -- University of Maine issued the following news release:
Engineers are exploring ways to harness nuclear fusion, as it has the potential to generate four times as much energy as existing nuclear fission reactors and 4 million times the amount yielded by fossil fuels. Conducting nuclear fusion, however, generates extreme heat and radiation that can degrade plant infrastructure without proper monitoring, management and intervention.
In the fall, University of Maine researchers will begin developing specialized surface acoustic wave resonator microchip sensors designed to operate inside future fusion reactors while monitoring the structural integrity of facilities. They will be tested under radiation conditions several...