Applications of spherical shells

Abstract

A new technique of producing hollow spheres of many materials at a very rapid rate, at very low cost, and with high reproducibility of shell diameter and wall thickness has been developed. Shells formed of metal or of other solid materials are expected to find numerous technical and industrial applications. For example, metal shells might be used as inertial confinement fusion targets, or as the principal constituents in lightweight structural materials for NASA Space Stations or DOD large antennas and mirrors, or be employed as containers for phase-change heat-storage media, or serve as containers for hazardous materials, or be employed as catalytic surface agents.