National Research Launch on Liquid Metals for Fusion

DOE meeting at PPPL explores liquid metals as a game-changing fusion technology

Published on Feb. 23, 2026

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The U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) held a meeting at the Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL) on January 22 to discuss a national research program strategy on the use of liquid metals in fusion systems. The meeting brought together researchers from national labs, universities, DOE personnel, and fusion leaders from the private sector to provide insights into liquid metal infrastructure needs, technology and science gaps, and the potential for liquid metals to improve fusion system performance.

Why it matters

Liquid metals could protect fusion system components from intense plasma heat and improve overall fusion performance, making them a potentially game-changing technology on the path to achieving fusion power. Demonstrating fusion power plants in the U.S. is a critical step towards the DOE's goal of supporting a competitive U.S. fusion power industry.

The details

Research suggests that liquid metals could protect the components that directly face the intense heat of plasma and improve fusion system performance. PPPL was chosen as the host site for the meeting due to its strong expertise in liquid metals research. The meeting provided valuable insights into liquid metal infrastructure needs, along with current technology and science gaps, outlined in the DOE's Fusion Science and Technology Roadmap published in October 2025.

  • The meeting was held on January 22, 2026.
  • The DOE's Fusion Science and Technology Roadmap was published in October 2025.

The players

Jean Paul Allain

FES Associate Director, who told the audience that the DOE's Roadmap identified liquid metals as a potentially game-changing technology on the path to achieving fusion power.

Heather Jackson

Division director for Fusion Enabling Science and Partnerships at FES and organizer of the first day of the meeting.

Josh King

Program manager at the DOE's FES and organizer of the second day of the meeting.

Rajesh Maingi

Head of tokamak experimental science at PPPL, who discussed the infrastructure needed to bring liquid lithium technology from the laboratory to a fusion power grid.

Princeton Plasma Physics Laboratory (PPPL)

A leader in liquid metals research for fusion applications, with a particular focus on liquid lithium, and the host site for the meeting.

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What they’re saying

“Our Roadmap identified liquid metals as a potentially game-changing technology on the path to achieving fusion power. Your insights and expertise will help inform what's needed for a world-leading U.S. liquid metal program.”

— Jean Paul Allain, FES Associate Director (Mirage News)

“We're here to think about what the public program can deliver that will help us win not only the fusion energy race, not just delivering the first power plant, but the first economically competitive power plant and an economically competitive industry.”

— Heather Jackson, Division director for Fusion Enabling Science and Partnerships at FES (Mirage News)

“Hearing directly from both private companies - whether they are currently exploring liquid metals for their fusion systems or are still holding back and don't see it as their roadmap presently - helps us understand the full landscape of research needs and identify where investments will have the greatest impact.”

— Josh King, Program manager at the DOE's FES (Mirage News)

“Bringing liquid lithium technology from the laboratory to a fusion power grid requires building significant infrastructure: additional test facilities to validate how liquid metals behave in strong magnetic fields and under intense plasma bombardment, reliable methods to efficiently extract and purify the fusion fuel tritium from flowing lithium, and a domestic supply chain for the specialized materials these systems require.”

— Rajesh Maingi, Head of tokamak experimental science at PPPL (Mirage News)

What’s next

The DOE plans to continue funding research and development efforts to advance liquid metal technology and science for fusion applications, with the goal of supporting a competitive U.S. fusion power industry.

The takeaway

Liquid metals have the potential to be a game-changing technology for fusion energy, but significant infrastructure and research investments are needed to bring this technology from the laboratory to a commercially viable fusion power grid. The DOE's meeting at PPPL brought together key stakeholders to identify the research needs and lay the groundwork for a world-leading U.S. liquid metal fusion program.