标题： 通过氘氚聚变中子驱动的$(n, 2n)$反应实现可扩展的点金术 显示英文标题

标题： Scalable Chrysopoeia via $(n, 2n)$ Reactions Driven by Deuterium-Tritium Fusion Neutrons

摘要： 一种可扩展的炼金术方法——将贱金属转化为黄金——已被追求了数千年。 虽然在粒子加速器中已有小规模的演示，并提出了涉及热中子捕获的方案，但尚未找到具有经济吸引力的方法。 我们展示了一种新的可扩展方法，利用聚变包层的特殊中子倍增层中的$(n, 2n)$反应，从丰富的汞同位素$\mathrm{^{198}Hg}$合成稳定的金$\left( \mathrm{^{197}Au} \right)$。 反应由氘-氚聚变等离子体提供的快中子$14\, \mathrm{MeV}$驱动，这些中子独特地能够在大规模下实现所需的反应路径。 关键的是，这里确定的方案不会对电力生产产生负面影响，并且由于$(n, 2n)$的$\mathrm{^{198}Hg}$反应同时驱动转化和中子倍增，因此也与聚变电站设计中具有挑战性的氚增殖要求相兼容。 通过中子学模拟，我们展示了一种具有包层配置的托卡马克，其可以以大约2吨/$\mathrm{GW_{th}}$/年 的速率产生$\mathrm{^{197}Au}$。 该概念的实现使得聚变能发电厂的收入翻倍，显著提高了聚变能的经济可行性。 显示英文摘要

摘要： A scalable approach for chrysopoeia - the transmutation of base metals into gold - has been pursued for millennia. While there have been small-scale demonstrations in particle accelerators and proposals involving thermal neutron capture, no economically attractive approach has yet been identified. We show a new scalable method to synthesize stable gold $\left( \mathrm{^{197}Au} \right)$ from the abundant mercury isotope $\mathrm{^{198}Hg}$ using $(n, 2n)$ reactions in a specialized neutron multiplier layer of a fusion blanket. Reactions are driven by fast $14\, \mathrm{MeV}$ neutrons provided by a deuterium-tritium fusion plasma, which are uniquely capable of enabling the desired reaction pathway at scale. Crucially, the scheme identified here does not negatively impact electricity production, and is also compatible with the challenging tritium breeding requirements of fusion power plant design because $(n, 2n)$ reactions of $\mathrm{^{198}Hg}$ drive both transmutation and neutron multiplication. Using neutronics simulations, we demonstrate a tokamak with a blanket configuration that can produce $\mathrm{^{197}Au}$ at a rate of about 2t/$\mathrm{GW_{th}}$/yr. Implementation of this concept allows fusion power plants to double the revenue generated by the system, dramatically enhancing the economic viability of fusion energy.