Li6-D source

[Javier Lopez]

I do not found any Lithium6-Deutered source. Do anybody know one?

[Javier Lopez]

It may be too difficult: a chemical compound made by two isotopes. Having it would be a big advantage for amateur fusion.

[Alex Aitken]

This is probably tightly regulated. It would not be much of a help in an experimental fusion system. It relies on neutron capture to produce tritium which then can fuse with the deuterium. A system of a size and density too small to contain fusion neutrons (read any steady state system producable at home) or a system that does not have an external source of very large numbers of thermal neutrons is unlikley to be successful in using this material.

[Carl Willis]

Li-6 and deuterium are both classified as "other nuclear material" in the NRC administrative code. Facilities and equipment for lithium isotope separation are regulated as a counterproliferation measure.

This may not affect the availability of Li-6 in the US, but probably means that a seller will ask for a compliance agreement just as many do for deuterium gas. Of course, lithium deuteride has a chemical reactivity issue that will complicate attempts to get it.

-Carl

[drbuzzo]

Well...Deuterium shouldn't be hard to find at all. Any decent chemical supplier ought to have deuterium based compounds or be able to order them. D2O and deuterium gas would be easy to find. Any others may require special order or even custom synthasis. (think $$$)

As far as the lithium-6, that's gona be the harder one. You'll need to go to a specialty isotope supplier for that. The only one I know of is icon isotopes. http://www.iconisotopes.com/Code/Lithium.asp. They don't list lithium-deuteride, but they do list lithium-6-hydroxide-Monohydrate. Also they "INVITE YOUR INQUIRIES FOR COMPOUNDS NOT LISTED"

So I'm sure they could do it. Although...my guess is that this would be very expensive. This sort of thing is usually sold in less than gram quantities. Any large request for it would raise some eyebrows. (although, if somebody already has the fission trigger put togeather, then getting some other H-Bomb supplies is the least of my concerns).

Remember one thing though: Lithium-7, the main component of natural lithium compounds...it ain't exactly useless for fusion either. It will generate tritium from fast neutrons...though tritium generation won't be as effecient as with lithium-6.

They found that out the hard way with Castle Bravo

[Javier Lopez]

After more research, I found that section for H-Li6 reaction is:
<σv>/T² = 1.46E-27 [m³/s/keV²] at 66 keV.
I calculated that Lawson Parameter is 284 worse than D-T

That reaction was not studied very much because it is aneutronic and then not suitable for H-Bombs