Equation-of-State, Critical Constants, and Thermodynamic Properties of Lithium at High Energy Density

High-density lithium plasmas are expected to be generated in the Inertial Confinement Fusion (ICF) reactor chamber due to energy deposition of the prompt X-rays and ion debris in the first wall. These dense plasmas are encountered in many other applications as well. The design and optimization of such lithium-based applications requires information about the thermodynamic properties of Li fluid over a wide range of parameters including the high-energy-density regime. A model that takes into account all essential features of strongly-coupled plasmas of metal vapors is developed and used to predict the equation-of-state (EOS), critical constants, thermodynamic functions, and principal shock Hugoniot of hot dense lithium fluid. Predictions and computational results from the present model are analyzed and presented and are available in electronic form suitable for use to interested researchers and scientists.

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