High-Z Impurities Characterization in Liquid Metal Mixtures for Material Separation Concepts in Fusion Applications

High heat flux and recycling hydrogen isotopes (H/D/T) under strong magnetic fields are critical challenges for steady-state fusion reactors. However, the need for fuel recycling, limited lithium inventory, and the intense magnetohydrodynamic (MHD) drag forces stress the need to develop a more efficient method to separate hydrogen species from the fluid, such as centrifuge and distillation technologies. Our goal is to design and develop an in-situ liquid metal centrifuge prototype, developing the centrifuge next to the diverter region utilizing the strong magnetic field from the reactor. This project aims to enhance the efficiency of hydrogen isotope separation by optimizing impurity-to-liquid metal ratios, exploring mixtures of materials Galinstan with impurities such as Hafnium Oxide (HfO2) and Tungsten Trioxide (WO3) as proxies for solid lithium hydride in molten lithium, given their similarities as non-conductive, denser impurities. We employ X-ray fluorescence (XRF) for precise composition and concentration (+/- 0.1%) measurement of high-Z elements in the liquid metal mixtures. Using XRF is also a novel way to detect corrosive events in liquid metals such as tungsten (W) for Liquid Metal Plasma Facing Components (LMPFCs). Our goal is to create a benchmark for future projects that will employ lithium, laying the groundwork for future testing of the centrifuge with lithium hydride. This technology aims to enable the effective separation and concentration of hydrogen isotopes in a flowing liquid metal system using an MHD centrifuge, providing a foundation for more advanced applications in fusion reactors.