Novel approaches for Li isotope enrichment to support the deployment of nuclear fusion reactors

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The UK Government has committed to building STEP (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production), a prototype fusion power plant, by 2040, which will use 6Li in its breeder blankets. It has been estimated that a fusion reactor will need 112 kg of 6Li per year per GW of fusion energy. To operate a 2 GW prototype fusion power plant like STEP, approximately 52 tons of isotopically pure 6Li (based on a lithium-lead blanket enriched to 90% 6Li) is likely to be required and this entire quantity of fuel is needed at the point the reactor is commissioned as current fusion reactor designs do not allow for refuelling. Therefore, there is an immediate need to develop efficient and environmentally friendly technologies that can enrich 6Li.