Scratch Reduction in Polystyrene Beads and Capsules via Alternative Flask Material Testing

Polystyrene (PS) capsules produced by General Atomics are useful to inertial confinement fusion work. Contact scratches caused by collisions between container asperities and PS capsules and beads are a prominent defect arising during the fabrication process, and reducing them would improve surface quality. This study analyzed various containers for the curing and washing stages of PS bead and capsule production. For the curing stage, plastic bottles were found to have lower scratch frequency and severity than glass flasks, indicating that they may be a better alternative. For the washing stage, plastic or Gel-Pak washing containers demonstrated no reduction in scratch frequency when compared to glass washing containers.