Dopeable styrenic foams used in inertial fusion targets

Low density polymer foams have been an integral part of targets used in Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) experiments. In order to accomplish this the formulation of the High Internal Phase Emulsion (HIPE) foam had to be optimized. Along with a change in density and the incorporation of fillers into a foam, there is also a change in the pore size and the distribution of pore sizes. The emulsion technique used to produce these foams is amenable to modification providing foams with a wide range of densities, 15 mg/cm3 to 500 mg/cm3, and metal loadings up to 90 percent by weight. A qualitative distribution of pore size can be seen visually with scanning electron microscopy (SEM). At low metal loadings SEM did not observe the submicron metal particles. The distribution of these particles in the foam matrix was seen with near-infrared imaging.