Speaker
Description
Energy storage in chemicals, whether fuels or batteries, forms the basis for the U. S. Army’s many energy
and power applications. However, these materials are restricted in both energy density and longevity,
motivating interest in radioisotopes and nuclear isomers as a means of pushing beyond the “chemical
limit”. In particular, the potential for long‐lived isomers to enable production, accumulation, and storage
of energy‐dense materials for extended periods is attractive. The ability to utilize isomeric materials for
applications will likely depend on mechanisms by which to transfer population from such isomers to
shorter‐lived states upon demand. This presentation will survey basic research on isomers conducted by
the Army Research Laboratory.
