聚變能及其他等離子工程材料與硬體機會：2025-2045 年市場

硼作為 "融合體操運動員" ：

硼的應用範圍除了核融合之外，還涵蓋從醫學到航空航太等各種領域，這將降低開發成本風險。例子包括高溫超導體、高功率雷射、鎢、銅、矽、鋰、鐵和碳同位素，它們的使用形式多種多樣，包括合金、化合物和基於奈米技術的形式。為什麼硼基材料被稱為 "聚變體操運動員" ？這是因為它是聚變裝置中許多重要應用的基礎。稀土元素、有機聚合物等許多材料也正在引起人們的注意。

投資洪流，展望未來：

核融合開發商目前正在向高價值材料和結構投入巨額且快速增長的資金。聚變能及相關新興應用的進一步成功將為等離子技術、雷射和低溫技術等技術開闢龐大的硬體市場。報告確定了有前景的應用領域、潛在的合作夥伴和競爭對手，還包括 2025 年至 2045 年的路線圖和市場預測。

目錄

第 1 章執行摘要與概述

• 本報告的目標
• 分析法
• 一般結論（7 項）
• 材料和硬體結論（11 項）
• 根據 2025 年的研發重點，列出 23 種關鍵材料和硬體機會
• 等離子體相關材料與硬體機會
• 核融合價值鏈中膜材料和相關設備的分類（依複雜程度）
• 關於聚變公司私人投資趨勢的三個結論
• 核融合在電網電力應用潛力方面的 SWOT 分析
• 磁約束聚變作為電網電源的 SWOT 分析
• 慣性約束聚變作為電網電源的 SWOT 分析
• 聚變及相關系統的材料和硬體技術和市場路線圖
• 22 個市場預測與圖表（2025-2045 年）

第2章 再生能源、重組氫能經濟及其他產業中的聚變能及其他等離子體技術

• 概述
• 氫能經濟：失敗的開端、重組和氫聚變的前景
• 私人核融合公司和政府競相進入氫聚變發電領域
• 政府大力投資核融合能源
• 氫同位素的主要用途
• 普通氫（氕）與其他燃料、氘和氚的性質比較
• 氫氣：電氣化的合作夥伴和替代方案
• 實際裂變發電系統與擬議的聚變發電系統的比較
• 核融合供電最早預計時間
• 使用氘的其他聚變和等離子工程應用

第3章 核融合的基本原理及高附加價值材料機會的具體實例

• 概述
• 候選燃料、反應方法、反應器運作原理與設計
• 聚變發電的重大里程碑、設備小型化的原因以及代表公司
• 材料機會的全貌：液體、固體、氣體和等離子體
• 用於聚變反應器設施的鋼和其他鐵基合金的配方和結構設計
• 氫氣罐材料和化學儲氫材料
• 核融合價值鏈中膜材料及相關設備的分類（依複雜程度）

第4章 磁約束聚變能：材料與硬體機會

• 概述
• 磁約束聚變作為電網電源：SWOT分析
• 核融合發電磁約束系統的設計
• 等離子體鄰近材料的機會
• 磁鐵技術的進步
• 散熱器/傳熱和冷卻材料的創新
• 截至 2025 年的偏濾器材料研究與新 ITER 設備
• 等離子加熱系統與機器人技術的進步
• 核融合供電系統與發電系統
• 託卡馬克和 Z-Pinch 硬體的機會範例：JET、ITER 等。
• 2025 年環狀及相關聚變能硬體研究
• 由內而外的磁約束

第5章 慣性約束與磁慣性聚變動力：材料與硬體潛力

• 概述
• 慣性約束聚變作為電網電力：SWOT分析
• 以雷射為基礎的慣性約束聚變的雷射設計
• 聚變目標機會（燃料顆粒等）
• 勞倫斯利弗莫爾國家實驗室 (LLNL) 的國家點火裝置 (NIF)
• 中國正在引領潮流？ （國際競爭情勢）
• 其他慣性約束聚變 (ICF) 和磁慣性約束聚變 (MIF) 開發商

第6章：投資重點的變化：值得關注的公司、硬體和材料

• 興趣和投資激增：哪些技術以及為什麼？
• 投資私人公司
• 投資者意向和按技術劃分的交易
• 全球努力
• 私人核融合公司競相興建氫聚變電站的分析
• 按國家/地區劃分的領先核融合公司：根據各種績效標準和資金狀況進行評估
• 政府和私人投資在聚變發電方面的區域與技術優勢
• 吸引投資的關鍵材料和硬件
• 經常提到的高附加價值材料的例子：核融合中的普及程度和具體應用

第7章：材料在核融合發電以外的核融合技術中的潛力

• 概述
• 提出的聚變推進太空船基本原理
• 靜電慣性約束聚變的進展與 2025 年的目標應用
• 核融合及其他領域的中子源研究
• 迴旋加速器技術的衍生應用（除核融合以外的用途）：地熱鑽探等。
• 高溫超導體 (HTS) 除了核融合之外的可能用途

Summary

Good news. The quest for fusion power is opening up many opportunities for your high added value materials and hardware. Thoroughly analysing your opportunities is the new commercially-oriented 218-page Zhar Research report, "Nuclear Fusion and Other Plasma Engineering Materials and Hardware Opportunities: Markets 2025-2045". Whether your skills lie in metallurgy, composites or chemistry based on the many elements it examines, this report details your road ahead.

Boron the gymnast

Learn how your development costs are derisked by these materials having many other applications beyond fusion power from medical to aerospace. Examples include high temperature superconductors, high power lasers, tungsten, copper, silicon, lithium, iron, carbon isotopes, many in forms varying from alloys to compounds and nano technology. Why is boron-based material the gymnast of fusion, being the basis of so many vital uses in fusion machines? See how rare earths, organic polymers and many other materials are also in the frame.

Flood of investment, see the future

Fusion developers now have massive, rapidly-rising funding to spend on your essential added value materials and structures. Further success in fusion power or allied emerging applications means that these plasma, laser, cryogenic and other technologies will open up huge hardware markets. Winning applications, potential partners and competitors are identified with 2025-2045 roadmaps and forecasts.

Comprehensive report

The 35 page "Executive summary and conclusions" is sufficient in itself with 21 key conclusions, 3 SWOT appraisals, 2025-2045 roadmaps both for technology and for markets and 22 forecast lines as graphs and tables. New infograms make it all easy to absorb in a short time. 23 key materials and hardware opportunities from 2025 research and company initiatives are prioritised.

Pivoting to a hydrogen economy reinvented

Then comes context and options in Chapter 2. "Fusion power and other plasma engineering in the context of renewable energy, the hydrogen economy reinvented and other industry" (30 pages). Learn the significance of the hydrogen isotopes. Understand why the original idea of a hydrogen economy based on fuel for your car and house is doomed. We are pivoting to a reinvented hydrogen economy mostly based on fusion grid power, making basic chemicals and aerospace and ship propulsion because they have far greater chance of success, though nothing is guaranteed.

Derisk your investment

Then come four chapters detailing your opportunities in fusion and allied plasma engineering, with particular emphasis on 2025 research and breakthroughs. The report ends with a chapter on the other emerging markets needing the same or similar materials, often well before any possible success with fusion for electricity generation. This derisks your investment.

Size reduction and other priorities

Chapter 3. "Basics of fusion and examples of its high-value materials opportunities" (39 pages) presents the detail including candidate fuels, reactions, reactor operating principles and designs, with much 2025 research, most notably deuterium, tritium, alpha particle and neutron-related. See candidate operating principles and designs of fusion power reactors and understand the changing views on winning technologies and changing relative achievements, plans and the most important milestones ahead. Why is size reduction now a strong focus even if the materials achieving this are expensive? Here is the big picture of materials opportunities, encompassing liquids, solids, gases and plasma.

Materials surviving a perfect storm

See how fusion subsystems present many added burdens for materials, withstanding chemical, heat, radiation, hydrogen embrittlement and plasma damage. Here is appraisal of the research in 2025 that leads you to candidate materials solving identified future needs. Examples explained include many different steels and membranes, mostly using advanced polymers.

Better materials urgently needed

Chapter 4. "Magnetic confinement fusion power: materials and hardware opportunities" (50 pages) concerns the fusion power option receiving the most public and private investment. Materials focus here particularly includes complex multi-wall structures for tokamaks and stellarators and identified derivatives. These formulations variously withstand or magnetically contain plasma, breed fuel, multiply neutrons, remove heat, block radiation. Can you rescue this industry from its lethally toxic and dangerously chemically-reactive materials? Metals, alloys, composites, compounds or what? High added value also comes from wall-conditioning, multipurpose blanket materials. Massive power supplies, "divertors" and other giant subsystems are needed. Why are- stellarators - gaining more attention and what are their materials? Inside-out magnetic confinement, levitated dipole, reverse triangulation and other approaches and needs? It is all here.

The 25 close-packed pages of Chapter 5. "Inertial confinement and magneto-inertial fusion power: materials and hardware opportunities" concerns the second most important fusion power option in investment and number of participants. It is the only one that has demonstrated "ignition" so far. See why it is now getting more attention as smaller, higher-power lasers, analysed here, arrive and China builds a massive facility 50% bigger than the American one. On the other hand, hybrid magneto-inertial options promise direct production of electricity but it is wrong to think of this as no-neutrons/ no-radioactivity. Which problems are your materials opportunities in magnetic confinement fusion? Colliding plasmas or projectiles instead of lasers?

Changing investment focus

Chapter 6. "Changing Investment focus, companies, hardware and materials to watch" (10 pages) explains the sudden surge in interest and investment: which technology and why. Detail is presented on investment in private companies, investor intentions and deals by technology. See how this is now a global effort. Here is analysis of private fusion companies racing to make hydrogen fusion electricity generators, winning fusion power companies by country, various performance criteria and funding. What are the winning fusion power locations and technologies for government vs private investments? What are significant key enabling materials and hardware attracting investment from analysis of 214 recent advances?

Profusion of opportunities

Those seeking investment may whisper it quietly but there is a possibility of fusion power not being commercialised in the 2025-2045 timeframe. Contrast allied technologies such as high temperature superconductors in medical scanners that are already commercialised with many more applications soon. The report therefore closes with Chapter 7. "Materials opportunities in fusion technologies beyond fusion power generation" (14 pages). Learn how spacecraft will not just drift after lift-off but use fusion power continuously and which options are emerging for this. Electrostatic inertial confinement fusion is not promising for generating electricity but see other advances and targetted uses for it from 2025. See plasma neutron sources for beyond fusion, with 2025 research. Gyrotron technology, not mainstream for power, can spin off beyond fusion for geothermal drilling and other uses. See detail on this high-profile new development and also the remarkable scope for high temperature superconductors beyond fusion.

Latest information and views

Fusion is now a fast-moving subject, so old information is useless. Most of the report, "Nuclear Fusion Power and Other Plasma Engineering Materials and Hardware Opportunities: Markets 2025-2045" interprets advances in 2025 and it is constantly updated so you only get the latest. It is your essential reading for your materials and hardware opportunities with realistic appraisal of timescales.

CAPTION: Simplified version of image in the report, "Nuclear Fusion Power and Other Plasma Engineering Materials and Hardware Opportunities: Markets 2025-2045", giving priority by number of primary mentions of high added-value materials and uses in the large amount of research and other activity analysed, with examples of applications.

Table of Contents

1. Executive summary and conclusions

• 1.1. Purpose of this report
• 1.2. Methodology of this analysis
• 1.3. Seven general conclusions
• 1.4. Eleven conclusions concerning materials and hardware
• 1.5. 23 key materials and hardware opportunities from 2025 research and developers prioritised
• 1.6. Materials and hardware opportunities adjacent to the plasma
• 1.7. Membrane materials in the fusion value chain and related devices by level of sophistication
• 1.8. Three conclusions: Investment trends in private fusion companies
• 1.9. SWOT appraisal of the potential of fusion grid power
• 1.10. SWOT appraisal of magnetic confinement fusion as a potential source grid electricity
• 1.11. SWOT appraisal of inertial confinement fusion as a potential source grid electricity
• 1.12. Fusion and allied systems, materials and hardware roadmap for technology vs market 2025-2045
• 1.13. Market forecasts in 22 lines, graphs 2025-2045
  • 1.13.1. Specialist materials and assemblies for fusion power including experiments: market inorganic vs organic $ billion 2025-2045
  • 1.13.2. Hydrogen hardware market: fusion reactors + 7 lines $ billion 2025-2045, table, graphs
  • 1.13.3. Number of companies seeking to make fusion reactors 2025-2045
  • 1.13.4. Fusion machine energy output trend with and without ignition
  • 1.13.5. Hydrogen market million tonnes 2025-2045 in seven lines, table, graphs

2. Fusion power and other plasma engineering in the context of renewable energy, the hydrogen economy reinvented and other industry

• 2.1. Overview
• 2.2. Hydrogen economy: a false start, reinvention and the promise of hydrogen fusion
  • 2.2.1. The big picture
  • 2.2.2. Lessons of history and new objectives for 2025-2045
  • 2.2.3. Materials for the hydrogen economy reinvented
  • 2.2.4. Supporting information
• 2.3. Private fusion companies and governments race into hydrogen fusion power
• 2.4. Major government investment in fusion power
• 2.5. Hydrogen isotopes and their primary uses actual and targetted
• 2.6. Comparison of properties of regular hydrogen (protium) with other fuels and with the deuterium and tritium forms of hydrogen
• 2.7. Hydrogen is both partner and alternative to electrification
• 2.8. Comparison of actual fission and planned fusion power systems
• 2.9. Earliest dates for fusion grid electricity being delivered
• 2.10. Other fusion and plasma engineering and other uses for deuterium

3. Basics of fusion and examples of its high-value materials opportunities

• 3.1. Overview
• 3.2. Candidate fuels, reactions, reactor operating principles and designs
  • 3.2.1. Candidate fusion fuels and reactions with 2025 research
  • 3.2.2. Deuterium-related fusion research advances in 2025
  • 3.2.3. Tritium-related fusion research advances in 2025
  • 3.2.4. Alpha particle-related fusion research advances in 2025
  • 3.2.5. Neutron-related fusion research advances in 2025
  • 3.2.6. Candidate operating principles and designs of fusion power reactors
  • 3.2.7. Changing views on winning technologies and changing relative achievements and plans
• 3.3. Milestones, reasons for size reduction and examples of companies for fusion power
• 3.4. Big picture of materials opportunities : liquids, solids, gases and plasma
  • 3.4.1. Materials are a primary challenge to fusion power: premium pricing opportunities
  • 3.4.2. Fusion subsystems present many added burdens for materials
  • 3.4.3. Radiation and plasma damage of the materials: research in 2025 and future needs
  • 3.4.4. Some candidate materials reflecting various of these needs
• 3.5. Steel and other iron-based alloy formulations and structures for fusion reactor facilities
  • 3.5.1. Steels for general fusion facility structures, radiative environments with 2025 research
  • 3.5.2. Resisting hydrogen embrittlement
  • 3.5.3. Welding and other structural optimisation with 2025 research
• 3.6. Hydrogen tank materials and chemical hydrogen storage materials
  • 3.6.1. Hydrogen tank materials
  • 3.6.2. Hydrogen leakage causing global warming: research in 2025
• 3.7. Membrane materials in the fusion value chain and related devices by level of sophistication

4. Magnetic confinement fusion power: materials and hardware opportunities

• 4.1. Overview
• 4.2. SWOT appraisal of magnetic confinement fusion as a potential source grid electricity
• 4.3. Magnetic confinement geometries for fusion power
• 4.4. Materials opportunities adjacent to the plasma
  • 4.4.1. Multilayer wall and proximate structures
  • 4.4.2. Wall conditioning materials advances through 2025
  • 4.4.3. Multifunctional blanket materials research in 2025
• 4.5. Magnet advances
• 4.6. Heat sink/ heat transfer, coolant materials advances
• 4.7. Divertor materials research in 2025 and the new ITER installation
• 4.8. Plasma heating systems and robotics
• 4.9. Fusion power supplies and electricity generation systems
  • 4.9.1. Power generation from fusion reactors
  • 4.9.2. Power supply to fusion reactors
• 4.10. Examples of tokamak and Z-Pinch hardware opportunities: JET, ITER and others
• 4.11. Research in 2025 on toroidal and allied fusion power hardware
  • 4.11.1. General
  • 4.11.2. Stellarators and their materials research in 2025
• 4.12. Inside-out magnetic confinement:
  • 4.12.1. OpenStar levitated dipole fusion reactor
  • 4.12.2. Reverse triangulation

5. Inertial confinement and magneto-inertial fusion power: materials and hardware opportunities

• 5.1. Overview
• 5.2. SWOT appraisal of inertial confinement fusion as a potential source grid electricity
• 5.3. Laser-based inertial confinement fusion (LICF) laser designs
  • 5.3.1. Neodymium glass lasers
  • 5.3.2. Ultraviolet lasers
  • 5.3.3. Quantum cascade lasers
• 5.4. Fusion target opportunities
  • 5.4.1. HUB project targets
  • 5.4.2. NIF project targets
  • 5.4.3. Fundamentals of target operation
• 5.5. Lawrence Livermore National Laboratories LLNL National Ignition Facility NIF
• 5.6. China pulling ahead?
• 5.7. Other inertial and magneto-inertial confinement developers
  • 5.7.1. General picture
  • 5.7.2. Helion and its key materials and devices
  • 5.7.3. Electrostatic inertial confinement fusion advances in 2025

6. Changing Investment focus, companies, hardware and materials to watch

• 6.1. Sudden surge in interest and investment: which technology and why
• 6.2. Investment in private companies
• 6.3. Investor intentions and deals by technology
• 6.4. Global effort
• 6.5. Analysis of private fusion companies racing to make hydrogen fusion electricity generators
• 6.6. Winning fusion power companies by country, various performance criteria, funding
• 6.6. Winning fusion power locations and technologies for government vs private investments
• 6.7. Significant key enabling materials and hardware attracting investment
• 6.8. Primary mentions of high added-value materials indicating popularity with examples of fusion uses

7. Materials opportunities in fusion technologies beyond fusion power generation

• 7.1. Overview
• 7.2. Principles proposed for fusion-propelled spacecraft
• 7.3. Electrostatic inertial confinement fusion advances, targeted uses in 2025
• 7.4. Neutron sources for fusion and beyond: 2025 research
• 7.5. Gyrotron technology spinoff beyond fusion: geothermal drilling, other
  • 7.5.1. Principle of operation
  • 7.5.2. Geothermal drilling, material processing, other
  • 7.5.3. Recent research
  • 7.5.4. Gyrotron materials and designs
• 7.6. High temperature superconductors beyond fusion