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Oxide dispersion-strengthened ferritic steels (ODSFSs) are promising structural materials for applications in fusion and fission power reactors, but further improvement in their (high-temperature) mechanical properties and ferrite phase stability is required. This work demonstrates that an approach to produce Fe14Cr ODSFSs with a stable ferrite phase and improved strength could involve grain size strengthening by long-term milling with a tiny amount of nitrogen. Fe-14Cr-3W-0.4Ti-0.25Y2O3 powders were ball-milled up to 170 hours under an argon atmosphere. In addition to X-ray diffraction, the change in product quality during milling and upon heating was thoroughly investigated by more sensitive magnetic and thermal analysis by measuring the saturation magnetization σs, coercivity Hc, Curie temperature Tc, and temperature of ferrite-austenite (α → γ) transition Tα→γ. A pronounced modification of magnetic and microstructure parameters was observed when milling over 70 hours and upon heating above 800 °C and was found to be generated by long-term milling with a tiny amount of nitrogen. Upon heating, the nitrogen, incorporated during milling, developed a α → γ transition region, with the decomposition of nitrides precipitated at the earlier stage of heating followed by austenite decomposition, nitrogen degassing, and microstructure refinement to a grain size of a few tenths of a nm (e.g., 28 nm by heating at 910 °C of 100-hour milled powder). The resulting ferrite phase with refined grains is highly stable to (further) heating. The powders milled for 70 and 100 hours containing 0.175 and 0.500 wt pct nitrogen, respectively, were consolidated at 1100 °C with subsequent annealing at 1050 °C and subjected to Vickers hardness and 3-point bending tests. The steel produced from the powder milled for 70 hours shows lower hardness, higher density (close to the theoretical value of 7.8 g/cm3), and fracture strain. The ductility of this ODS alloy (0.075 fracture strain) is comparable with Eurofer97 (0.075 fracture strain), whereas its strength (2070 MPa ultimate stress) is significantly higher than that of Eurofer97 (1222 MPa ultimate stress). This improvement was attributed to grain size strengthening—the refined grains (promoted by milling with nitrogen) could be effectively pinned by Y-Ti-O dispersoids.

Oxide Dispersion Strengthened Ferritic Steels (ODS FS) are candidate materials for structural components in future fusion reactors. Their high strength and creep resistance at elevated temperatures and their good resistance to neutron radiation damage is obtained through extremely fine microstructures containing a high density of nanometric precipitates, generally yttrium and titanium oxides. This work shows transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and extended X-ray absorption fine structure (EXAFS) characterization of Fe-14Cr-2W-0.3Ti-0.24Y ODS FS obtained by the STARS route (Surface Treatment of gas Atomized powder followed by Reactive Synthesis), an alternative method to obtain ODS alloys that avoids the mechanical alloying to introduce Y2O3 powder particles. In this route, FS powders already containing Ti and Y, precursors of the nanometric oxides, are obtained by gas atomization. Then, a metastable Cr- and Fe-rich oxide layer is formed on the surface of the powder particles. During consolidation by HIP at elevated temperatures, and post-HIP heat treatments above the HIP temperature, this oxide layer at Prior Particle Boundaries (PPBs) dissociates, the oxygen diffuses, and Y-Ti-O nano-oxides precipitate in the ferritic matrix. TEM characterization combined with XAFS and XANES analyses have proven to be suitable tools to follow the evolution of the nature of the different oxides present in the material during the whole processing route and select appropriate HIP and post-HIP parameters to promote profuse and fine Y-Ti-O nanometric precipitates.

An innovative powder metallurgy route to produce ODS FS, named STARS, has succeeded in atomizing steel powders containing the oxide formers (Y and Ti) and, hence, avoids the mechanical alloying (MA) step to dissolve Y in the matrix. A metastable oxide layer forms at the surface of atomized powders and dissociates during HIP consolidation at high temperatures, leading to precipitation of more stable Y-Ti-O nanoparticles.

Six suppliers from several countries were asked to furnish parallelepiped 10 × 30 × 80 mm3 samples of commercial purity tungsten machined from rolled plates in view of selecting a provider of tungsten bricks for the target of the European neutron spallation source, ESS, under construction in Lund (Sweden). Sample surfaces were to be ground and free from visible defects or oxidation. The material should be rolled after sintering. A minimum room temperature tensile strength of 600 MPa was specified. The samples were submitted to different blind mechanical tests, measurement of physical properties and structural observations in order to assess their suitability for the application. We present here a summary of their main measured properties. The dispersion of results is noteworthy; the exercise allowed to sort-out technically eligible candidates for the application.

The blanket of ITER protects the vacuum vessel from neutrons and other energetic particles produced in the fusion plasma. Each of the 215 Normal Heat Flux (NHF) panels of the blanket consists of a shield block and a First Wall (FW) panel. The NHF FW panels are a complex bimetallic structure of AISI 316L(N) stainless steel (SS) backing plate and a copper alloy (CuCrZr) heat sink, covered with beryllium armor tiles. Joining of these materials is done by solid state diffusion bonding. Under the framework of a R&D roadmap parallel to the manufacturing of a full-scale prototype of a FW panel of ITER, this work describes studies on the microstructure and strength of CuCrZr/SS and CuCrZr/CuCrZr joints of a simplified 10-fingers prototype of a FW panel manufactured by Hot Isostatic Pressing (HIP). Results on mechanical tests performed following ITER recommendations are compared to F4E specifications. Microstructural characterization of the interface was performed. Thermal history of the component is correlated with the mechanical behavior of the interfaces. Results show that appropriate parameters of the solution annealing after HIP and of the CuCrZr ageing during final HIP diffusion bonding are essential to achieve the specified strength of the joints.

The tungsten “heavy alloy” HPM 1850, a liquid-phase sintered composite material with two weight percent Ni and one weight percent Fe, as well as the self-passivating tungsten alloy W-10Cr-0.5Y, a high temperature oxidation resistant alloy with 10 weight percent of Cr and 0.5 weight percent of Y, were investigated with respect to their deuterium retention. The samples were deuterium loaded in an electron cyclotron resonance plasma up to a fluence of 1025m−2. The deuterium retention was then investigated by Nuclear Reaction Analysis and by Thermal Desorption. In HPM 1850 the observed deuterium amount was similar to pure tungsten, however the outgassing behaviour during thermal desorption was considerably faster. In W-10Cr-0.5Y the released deuterium amount during thermal desorption was about one order of magnitude higher; by comparison of nuclear reaction analysis and thermal desorption this was attributed to deeper diffusion of deuterium into the bulk of the material. Keywords: Deuterium retention, Tungsten heavy alloy, Tungsten self-passivating alloy, Nuclear reaction analysis, Thermal desorption

Authors acknowledge ALBA synchrotron (Spain) for the provision of beamtime on the beam line BL22-CLAESS (Proposal 2016081797). Transmission electron microscopy observations were accomplished at Centro Nacional de Microscopía Electrónica, CNME-UCM. This work has been carried out within the framework of the EUROfusion Consortium and has received funding from the Euratom research and training programme 2014–2018 under grant agreement No 633053. The views and opinions expressed herein do not necessarily reflect those of the European Commission. Financial support from Basque Government through the ELKARTEK ACTIMAT 2016 project is also acknowledged., Oxide Dispersion Strengthened Ferritic Stainless Steels (ODS FS) are candidate materials for structural components in fusion reactors. Their ultrafine microstructure and the presence of a very stable dispersion of Y-Ti-O nanoclusters provide reasonable fracture toughness, high mechanical and creep strength, and resistance to radiation damage at the operation temperature, up to about 750 °C. An innovative route to produce ODS FS with composition Fe-14Cr-2W-0.3Ti-0.3Y2O3 (wt.%), named STARS (Surface Treatment of gas Atomized powder followed by Reactive Synthesis), is presented. This route avoids the mechanical alloying (MA) of the elemental or prealloyed powders with yttria to dissolve the yttrium in the ferritic matrix. In this study, starting powders containing Ti and Y are obtained by gas atomization at laboratory and industrial scale. Then, a metastable Cr- and Fe- rich oxide layer is formed on the surface of the powder particles. During consolidation by HIP the metastable oxide layer at Prior Particle Boundaries (PPBs) dissociates, the oxygen diffuses towards saturated solutions or metallic Ti- and Y-rich particles, and Y-Ti-O nano-oxides (mainly Y2TiO5) precipitate in the ferritic matrix. Detailed Microstructural characterization by X-ray Photoelectron Spectroscopy (XPS), X-ray Absorption Spectroscopy (XAS), Scanning Electron Microscopy (SEM) and Transmission Electron Microscopy (TEM) of powders and consolidated materials is presented and correlated with mechanical behaviour., Euratom research and training programme 2014–2018 under grant agreement No 633053; Institute of Solid State Physics, University of Latvia as the Center of Excellence has received funding from the European Union’s Horizon 2020 Framework Programme H2020-WIDESPREAD-01-2016-2017-TeamingPhase2 under grant agreement No. 739508, project CAMART²

Several mock-ups, each of them consisting of six rectangular channels with dimensions according to the EU Test Blanket Modules (TBMs) specifications, were manufactured by selective laser melting (SLM) technology using P91, a ferritic–martensitic 9%Cr–1%Mo–V steel with a metallurgical behavior similar to EUROFER, the reference structural material for DEMO blanket concepts. SLM parameters led to an as-built density of 99.35% Theoretical Density (TD) that increased up to 99.74% after hot isostatic pressing (HIP). Dimensional control showed that the differences between the original design and the component are below 100 μm. By the appropriate selection of normalization and tempering parameters it was possible to obtain a material fulfilling P91 specification. The microstructure was investigated after SLM, HIP and normalizing and tempering treatments. In all cases, it consisted of thin martensitic laths. Subsize tensile samples were extracted from the mock-ups to measure the mechanical tensile properties after each step of the manufacturing process. The effect of thermal treatments on hardness was also evaluated.

The use of self-passivating tungsten alloys for the first wall armor of future fusion reactors is advantageous concerning safety issues in comparison with pure tungsten. Bulk W-10Cr-0.5Y alloy manufactured by mechanical alloying followed by HIP resulted in a fully dense material with grain size around 100 nm and a dispersion of Y-rich oxide nanoparticles located at the grain boundaries. An improvement in flexural strength and fracture toughness was observed with respect to previous works. Oxidation tests under isothermal and accident-like conditions revealed a very promising oxidation behavior for the W-10Cr-0.5Y alloy. Thermo-shock tests at JUDITH-1 to simulate ELM-like loads resulted in a crack network at the surface with roughness values lower than those of a pure W reference material. An additional thermal treatment at 1550 °C improves slightly the oxidation and thermo-shock resistance of the alloy.

Thermally and electrically insulating porous SiC ceramics are attractive candidates for Flow Channel Inserts (FCI) in dual-coolant blanket concepts thanks to its relatively inexpensive manufacturing route. To prevent tritium permeation and corrosion by Pb-15.7 a dense coating has to be applied on the porous SiC. Despite not having structural function, FCI must exhibit sufficient mechanical strength to withstand strong thermal gradients and thermo-electrical stresses during operation. This work summarizes the results on the development of coated porous SiC for FCI. Porous SiC was obtained following the sacrificial template technique, using Al 2 O 3 and Y 2 O 3 as sintering additives and a carbonaceous phase as pore former. Sintering was performed in inert gas at 1850–1950 °C during 15 min to 3 h, followed by oxidation at 650 °C to eliminate the carbonaceous phase. The most promising bulk materials were coated with a ∼30 μm thick dense SiC by CVD. Results on porosity, bending tests, thermal and electrical conductivity are presented. The microstructure of the coating, its adhesion to the porous SiC and its corrosion behavior under Pb-17.5Li are also shown.

Self-passivating tungsten based alloys are expected to provide a major safety advantage compared to pure tungsten when used as first wall armour of future fusion reactors, due to the formation of a protective oxide scale, preventing the formation of volatile and radioactive WO3 in case of a loss of coolant accident with simultaneous air ingress. In this work results of isothermal oxidations tests at 800 and 1000 °C on bulk alloy WCr12Ti2.5 performed by thermogravimetric analysis (TGA) and by exposure to flowing air in a furnace are presented. In both cases a thin, dense Cr2O3 layer is found at the outer surface, below which a Cr2WO6 scale and Ti2CrO5 layers alternating with WO3 are formed. The Cr2O3, Cr2WO6 and Ti2CrO5 scales act as protective barriers against fast inward O2− diffusion. The oxidation kinetics seems to be linear for the furnace exposure tests while for the TGA tests at 800 °C the kinetics is first parabolic, transforming into linear after an initial phase. The linear oxidation rates are 2–3 orders of magnitude lower than for pure W.

In case of an accident in the future fusion power plant like DEMO, the loss-of-coolant may happen simultaneously with air ingress into the vacuum vessel. The radioactive tungsten and its isotopes from the first wall may become oxidized and vaporized into the environment. The so-called “smart” alloys are under development to suppress the mobilization of oxidized tungsten. Smart alloys are aimed at adjusting their properties to environment. During regular operation, the preferential sputtering of alloying elements by plasma ions should leave almost pure tungsten surface facing the plasma. Under accidental conditions, the alloying elements in the bulk will form an oxide layer protecting tungsten from mobilization.The first direct comparative test of pure tungsten and smart alloys under identical plasma conditions was performed. Tungsten–chromium–titanium alloys were exposed simultaneously with tungsten samples to stationary deuterium plasma in linear plasma device PSI-2. The ion energy and the temperature of samples corresponded well the conditions at the first wall in DEMO. The accumulated fluence was 1.3 × 1026 ion/m2. The weight loss of pure tungsten samples after exposure was ΔmW = 1000–1150µg. The measured weight loss of sputtered smart alloy sample ΔmSA = 1240µg corresponds very well to that of pure tungsten providing experimental evidence of good resistance of smart alloys to plasma sputtering.Plasma exposure was followed by the oxidation of alloys at 1000°C accomplishing the first test of these new materials both in a plasma environment and under accidental conditions. Compared to pure tungsten, smart alloys featured the 3-fold suppression of oxidation. Plasma exposure did not affect the oxidation resistance of smart alloys. At the same time, the self-passivation of the protective layer did not occur, calling for further optimization of alloys. Keywords: DEMO, Advanced plasma-facing materials, Smart tungsten alloys, Suppressed oxidation, Plasma sputtering, Accidental conditions

Self-passivating tungsten based alloys are expected to provide a major safety advantage compared to pure tungsten, presently the main candidate material for first wall armour of future fusion reactors. In case of a loss of coolant accident with simultaneous air ingress, a protective oxide scale will be formed on the surface of W avoiding the formation of volatile and radioactive WO 3 . Bulk WCr12Ti2.5 alloys were manufactured by mechanical alloying (MA) and hot isostatic pressing (HIP), and their properties compared to bulk WCr10Si10 alloys from previous work. The MA parameters were adjusted to obtain the best balance between lowest possible amount of contaminants and effective alloying of the elemental powders. After HIP, a density >99% is achieved for the WCr12Ti2.5 alloy and a very fine and homogeneous microstructure with grains in the submicron range is obtained. Unlike the WCr10Si10 material, no intergranular ODS phase inhibiting grain growth was detected. The thermal and mechanical properties of the WCr10Si10 material are dominated by the silicide (W,Cr) 5 Si 3 ; it shows a sharp ductile-to brittle transition in the range 1273–1323 K. The thermal conductivity of the WCr12Ti2.5 alloy is close to 50 W/mK in the temperature range of operation; it exhibits significantly higher strength and lower DBTT – around 1170 K – than the WCr10Si10 material.

The conventional PM ODS Ferritic Steel (FS) processing route includes gas atomisation of steel powder and its mechanical alloying (MA) with Y2O3 powder particles to dissolve yttrium and form, during consolidation, a dispersion of oxide nanoparticles (Y–Ti–O) in a nanostructured matrix. This work presents an alternative route to produce ODS steels avoiding MA: STARS (Surface Treatment of gas Atomized powder followed by Reactive Synthesis). STARS FS powders with composition Fe–14Cr–2W–0.3Ti–0.23Y, already containing the nanoparticles precursors, were gas-atomized. Oxygen, Y and Ti contents were tailored to the required values to form Y–Ti–O nanoparticles during processing. Powders were HIPped at 900, 1220 and 1300°C. Specimens HIPped at 900 and 1220°C were heat treated (HT) at temperatures ranging from 1200 to 1320°C. The microstructural evolution with HIP and HT temperatures, including characterisation of nanoparticles and feasibility of achieving complete dissolution of prior particle boundaries (PPBs) we...

Self-passivating tungsten-based alloys may provide a major safety advantage in comparison with pure tungsten, which is presently the main candidate material for the plasma-facing protection of future fusion power reactors. WCrSi alloys were manufactured by mechanical alloying (MA) and HIP at 1300 °C and 200 MPa for 1 h. Different MA conditions were investigated to obtain powders with lowest possible amount of contaminants and small and homogeneous particle and crystallite size. Milling in WC vials under Ar without process control agent provided best results. After HIP densities close to 100% were obtained. First oxidation tests on preliminary alloys showed self-passivating behavior with rates comparable to WCrSi thin films at 800 °C but worse performance at 1000 °C. In all cases a Cr 2 WO 6 protective layer is formed at the surface.

SiC is the primary candidate for the flow channel inserts in dual-coolant blanket concepts. Porous SiC ceramics are attractive candidates for this non-structural application, since they can satisfy the required properties through a low cost manufacturing route, compared to SiC f /SiC. This work shows first results of the manufacturing of porous SiC ceramics prepared with different amounts of Y 2 O 3 and Al 2 O 3 as sintering additives. C powders were used as pore-formers by their burnout during oxidation after sintering. Comparison of microstructure, porosity, flexural strength, thermal and electrical conductivity and corrosion under Pb–15.7Li of porous SiC without and with sintering additives is presented. The addition of 2.5 wt.% of Y 2 O 3 and Al 2 O 3 improves the mechanical properties, and reduces the thermal and electrical conductivity down to reasonable values. Preliminary corrosion tests under Pb–15.7 Li at 500 °C show that the absence of a dense coating on porous SiC leads to poor corrosion behavior.

The porosity of undoped and Zr- and Ti-doped graphites has been determined using ultra small and small angle neutron scattering, nitrogen adsorption and helium pycnometry. To differentiate between open and closed in the neutron measurements the contrast matching technique was employed. It is shown that the combination of the three techniques is necessary for an accurate determination of the porosity and for the assessment of the structural modifications arising from the doping which results in the transformation of open porosity to closed.

Finely dispersed Ti-doped isotropic graphites with 4 at.% Ti have been manufactured using synthetic mesophase pitch ‘AR’ as raw material. These new materials show a thermal conductivity at room temperature of ∼200 W/mK and flexural strength close to 100 MPa. Measurement of the total erosion yield by deuterium bombardment at ion energies and sample temperatures for which pure carbon shows maximum values, resulted in a reduction of at least a factor of 4, mainly due to dopant enrichment at the surface caused by preferential erosion of carbon. In addition, ITER relevant thermal shock loads were applied with an energetic electron beam at the JUDITH facility. The results demonstrated a significantly improved performance of Ti-doped graphite compared to pure graphite. Finally, Ti-doped graphite was successfully brazed to a CuCrZr block using a Mo interlayer. These results let assume that Ti-doped graphite can be a promising armour material for divertor plasma-facing components.

The aim of the present work is the measurement of residual stresses using X-ray diffraction in materials subjected to different kinds of machining, to show the relevance of an adequate choice of machining type and parameters on the quality of the generated surface, especially in the residual stress final state. Different materials (stainless steel 17/7 PH, Ti-6Al-4V and F-521 tool steel) subjected to hard-turning and grinding have been investigated. In each case the evolution of the residual stress with distance to surface has been obtained. An integral method has been applied to determine the residual stress state by measuring the changes in the diffraction angle position. This method provides the full stress tensor and the stress gradient tensor in the longitudinal and transversal directions and in depth. X-ray diffraction measurements have allowed the evaluation of both macroscopic and microscopic residual stresses (the latter only qualitatively).El propósito de este trabajo es la medición de tensiones residuales mediante difracción de rayos‑X en materiales sometidos a diferentes tipos de mecanizado, con el fin de mostrar la importancia que tiene una correcta elección del tipo y parámetros del mecanizado en la calidad de la superficie creada, especialmente en el estado final de tensiones residuales. Se han realizado mediciones sobre distintos materiales (acero inoxidable 17/7 PH, Ti-6Al-4V y acero de herramienta F-521), mecanizados mediante torneado duro o rectificado. En cada caso se ha obtenido la evolución del estado de tensiones con la distancia a la superficie. Se ha aplicado un método integral para deducir las tensiones residuales a partir de medidas de la variación en la posición del pico de difracción. Este método proporciona el tensor de tensiones completo, así como los tensores gradientes de tensiones en dirección longitudinal, transversal y en profundidad. Las medidas de difracción de rayos-X han permitido la evaluación de tensiones residuales tanto macroscópicas como microscópicas (éstas últimas solamente de forma cualitativa).

Residual stresses induced by hard-turning are the result of a combination of mechanical and thermal effects, leading to a compressive or tensile stress state at the surface, depending on the machining parameters and the tool wear state. In this work, the residual stress depth profiles generated on steel grade F-521 (AISI D2) by hard-turning with tools of different wear states were measured by X-ray diffraction. An integral method was applied to determine the full stress tensor and the stress gradient tensors in the tangential, radial and depth directions. Both macroscopic and microscopic residual stresses were investigated. Compressive residual stresses were measured below the surface in all machined specimens. The magnitude of the compressive stress was much lower and the depth was much shallower when using new cutting tools than when using worn tools. However, the sample that has been hard-turned with a worn tool suffered strong microstructural changes in a layer more than 150 µm thick, especially at the surface, where the presence of a hard and very brittle layer of untempered martensite was evidenced.

The possibilities for optimization of doped fine grain graphites with high thermal conductivity and high thermal shock resistance are demonstrated at laboratory scale. A mixture of MCMB powder and different carbides (B4C, TiC, VC, ZrC and WC) was used as starting material. VC acts as catalyst of the graphitization at the lowest temperature, and ZrC is the most effective catalyst of all investigated carbides. A direct proportionality between the mean crystallite height, Lc, and the thermal conductivity at room temperature was found for all materials except for the B4C- and the ZrC-doped graphites. With increasing graphitization temperature the open porosity of all doped materials becomes gradually closed, suggesting the existence of a diffusion mechanism responsible for both the catalytic effect and the closing of the open porosity. The addition of carbides does not strongly influence the mechanical properties of pure graphite. A high ratio flexural strength to Young’s modulus was achieved.

The long-term objective of the European Fusion Development Agreement (EFDA) fusion materials programme is to develop structural and armor materials in combination with the necessary production and fabrication technologies for reactor concepts beyond the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor. The programmatic roadmap is structured into four engineering research lines which comprise fabrication process development, structural material development, armor material optimization, and irradiation performance testing, which are complemented by a fundamental research programme on "Materials Science and Modeling." This paper presents the current research status of the EFDA experimental and testing investigations, and gives a detailed overview of the latest results on materials research, fabrication, joining, high heat flux testing, plasticity studies, modeling, and validation experiments. (C) 2013 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

This work demonstrates the possibilities for optimization of doped fine grain graphites with high thermal conductivity and high thermal shock resistance for application as plasma-facing materials at those areas of the vessel wall in fusion devices receiving the highest particle and power loads. A mixture of carbonaceous mesophase powder and different fine grain carbides (B4C, TiC, VC, ZrC and WC) was used as starting material. These carbides act as catalysts, decreasing the graphitization temperature. VC acts as catalyst of the graphitization at the lowest temperature, and ZrC is the most effective catalyst of all investigated carbides. With increasing graphitization temperature, the open porosity of all doped materials becomes closed, suggesting the existence of a diffusion mechanism responsible for both the catalytic effect and the closing of the open porosity. Carbides addition does not strongly influence the mechanical properties of pure graphite.Este trabajo muestra la posibilidad de desarrollar materiales grafíticos isótropos dopados para su implantación en las zonas de mayor flujo térmico de la primera pared de futuros experimentos de fusión nuclear. Estos materiales deben tener elevada conductividad térmica y alta resistencia al choque térmico. Como material de partida se han empleado mezclas de mesofase carbonosa y diferentes carburos metálicos (TiC, VC, ZrC, WC y B4C). Estos carburos catalizan la grafitización, permitiendo que tenga lugar a menor temperatura. VC comienza a actuar como catalizador a la temperatura más baja; ZrC es el catalizador más eficaz de los estudiados. Se ha observado que al grafitizar a la temperatura a la que comienza el efecto catalítico de los carburos, la porosidad abierta deja de estar conectada. Este fenómeno sugiere la existencia de un mismo mecanismo de difusión responsable del efecto catalítico y del cierre de la porosidad abierta. La adición de carburos no afecta negativamente a las propiedades mecánicas.

Ti-doped isotropic graphite is a promising candidate material for the strike point area of the ITER divertor due to its reduced chemical erosion by hydrogen bombardment and its high thermal shock resistance, mainly due the catalytic effect of TiC on the graphitization leading to an increase of thermal conductivity and to higher mechanical strength. Several manufacturing parameters such as oxidative stabilization treatment, carbonization cycle, graphitization temperature and dwell time during graphitization have been investigated in order to establish a relationship between these parameters and the final properties.

Self-passivating tungsten-based alloys are expected to provide a major safety advantage compared to pure tungsten, which is at present the main candidate material for the first wall armour of future fusion reactors. WC10Si10 alloys were manufactured by mechanical alloying (MA) in a Planetary mill and subsequent hot isostatic pressing (HIP), achieving densities above 95%. Different MA conditions were studied. After MA under optimized conditions, a core with heterogeneous microstructure was found in larger powder particles, resulting in the presence of some large W grains after HIP. Nevertheless, the obtained microstructure is significantly refined compared to previous work. First MA trials were also performed on the Si-free system WCr12Ti2.5. In this case a very homogeneous structure inside the powder particles was obtained, and a majority ternary metastable bcc phase was found, indicating that almost complete alloying occurred. Therefore, a very fine and homogeneous microstructure can be expected after HIP in future work.

In the frame of the EU project ExtreMat new Ti-doped isotropic graphites and carbon fibre-reinforced carbons (CFCs) with high thermal conductivity and reduced chemical erosion were brazed to a CuCrZr heat-sink to produce flat-tile actively cooled mock-ups (MUs). Brazing was done using a low CTE interlayer to shift the stresses to the metal?metal interface. These MUs were exposed to high heat-fluxes in the electron beam facility JUDITH. Screening tests were conducted increasing the heat load stepwise up to 15?MW?m?2, followed by 100 cycles at 15?MW?m?2, subsequent screening up to 20?MW?m?2 and 100 cycles at 20?MW?m?2. All MUs withstood screening at 15?MW?m?2 and most of them survived screening at 20?MW?m?2. Ti-doped CFC MUs showed a significant improvement compared with the undoped reference CFC, surviving several cycles at 20?MW?m?2 on all tiles. One of the Ti-doped graphite MUs withstood 100 cycles at 20?MW?m?2 on one tile, representing a promising result.

The influence of several graphitization parameters (temperature, dwell time, HIPing subsequent to graphitization) on the final properties of doped isotropic graphite has been investigated. The aim of this work is to obtain doped isotropic graphite with reduced chemical erosion by hydrogen bombardment, high thermal conductivity and large thermal shock resistance. As starting material, a self-sintering mesophase carbon powder and different metallic carbides (TiC, VC, ZrC and WC) as dopants has been used. Longer dwell time results in a remarkable increase of thermal conductivity, depending on the dopant and on the graphitization temperature. However, it leads also to carbide coarsening and local carbide agglomeration and thus to degradation of the mechanical properties. HIPing subsequent to graphitization leads to a significant reduction of porosity for the materials doped with VC and WC and thus to an improvement of their mechanical properties. A solid–liquid–solid model for metal catalysts can be applied to our experimental observations of graphitization in the presence of metallic carbides.

Nanostructured Oxide Dispersion Strengthened Reduced Activation Ferritic Stainless Steels (ODS RAF) are promising structural materials for fusion reactors, due to their ultrafine microstructure and the presence of a dispersion of Y–Ti–O nanoclusters that provide excellent creep strength at high temperatures (up to 750 °C). The traditional powder metallurgical route to produce these steels is based on Gas Atomization (GA) + Mechanical Alloying (MA) + HIP + ThermoMechanical Treatments (TMTs). Recently, alternative methods have arisen to avoid the MA step. In line with this new approach, ferritic stainless steel powders were produced by gas atomization and HIPped, after adjusting their oxygen, Y and Ti contents to form Y–Ti–O nanoclusters during subsequent heat treatments. The microstructure of as-HIPped steels mainly consists of ferrite grains, Y–Ti precipitates, carbides and oxides on Prior Particle Boundaries (PPBs). Post-HIP heat treatments performed at high temperatures (1270 and 1300 °C) evaluated the feasibility of achieving a complete dissolution of the oxides on PPBs and a precipitation of ultrafine Ti- and Y-rich oxides in the Fe14Cr2W matrix. FEG-SEM with extensive EDS analysis was used to characterize the microstructure of the atomized powders and the ODS-RAF specimens after HIP consolidation and post-HIP heat treatments. A deeper characterization of atomized powder was carried out by TEM.

Self-passivating tungsten based alloys for the first wall armor of future fusion reactors are expected to provide a major safety advantage compared to pure tungsten in case of a loss-of-coolant accident with simultaneous air ingress, due to the formation of a stable protective scale at high temperatures in presence of oxygen which prevents the formation of volatile and radioactive WO3. This work analyses the oxidation and thermal shock resistance of W-Cr-Y alloys obtained by mechanical alloying followed by HIPing. Alloys with different Cr and Y contents are produced in fully dense form with nanocrystalline or ultrafine-grained microstructure and a dispersion of Y-rich oxide nanoparticles located mainly at the grain boundaries. Isothermal oxidation experiments confirm an excellent oxidation resistance due to the formation of protective oxide scales at the very surface. These layers mainly consist of Cr2O3 and mixed Y-W and Cr-W oxides. The superior oxidation resistance of these alloys is confirmed by tests simulating accident-like conditions. The thermal conductivity of these alloys at 600–1000 °C is 2–3 times higher than standard Ni-base superalloys like Inconel-718. The material also exhibits outstanding thermal shock resistance: 1000 pulses of 0.19 GW/m2 power density and 1 ms duration at 400 °C base temperature resulted in no damage, while an increased power density of 0.38 GW/m2 resulted in the formation of a crack-network and slight surface roughening. An additional thermal treatment at 1550 °C improves slightly the oxidation resistance and significantly the thermal shock resistance of the alloy.

The brittle fracture strength of a self-passivating W-Cr10-Ti2 alloy (in wt.%) was measured through un-notched cantilever bending at the microscopic scale. The material behaved purely elastic and fractured catastrophically in an unstable fashion. An average nominal strength of 5.9 GPa was measured. The scatter in strength was shown to be significantly higher than the sum of all random errors indicating an inherent variability of the material’s strength. The measurements from 28 tests followed a Weibull distribution with a modulus of m = 12. Results from a size effect study at the microscopic scale were successfully predicted through Weibull scaling. Extrapolation into the macroscopic range overestimated the measured three-point bend strength, which is likely due to the presence of large-scale heterogeneities. The test technique sampled a material thickness of only several micrometres and is hence suitable for future ion irradiation studies.

Self-passivating tungsten based alloys for the first wall armour of future fusion reactors are expected to provide a major safety advantage compared to pure tungsten in case of a loss of coolant accident with simultaneous air ingress, due to the formation of a stable protective scale at high temperatures in presence of oxygen which prevents the formation of volatile and radioactive WO 3 . Bulk W-15Cr, W-10Cr-2Ti and W-12Cr-0.5Y alloys were manufactured by mechanical alloying followed by can encapsulation and HIP. This route resulted in fully dense materials with nano-structured grains. The ability of Ti and especially of Y to inhibit grain growth was observed in the W-10Cr-2Ti and W-12Cr-0.5Y alloys. Besides, Y formed Y-rich oxide nano-precipitates at the grain boundaries, and is thus expected to improve the mechanical behaviour of the Y-containing alloy. Isothermal oxidation tests at 800 oC (1073 K) and oxidation tests under accident-like conditions revealed that the W-12Cr-0.5Y alloy exhibits the best oxidation behaviour of all alloys, especially in the accident-like scenario. Preliminary HHF tests performed at GLADIS indicated that the W-10Cr-2Ti alloy is able to withstand power densities of 2 MW/m 2 without significant damage of the bulk structure. Thermo-shock tests at JUDITH-1 to simulate mitigated disruptions resulted in chipping of part of the surface of the as-HIPed W-10Cr-2Ti alloy. An additional thermal treatment at 1600 °C (1873 K) improves the thermo-shock resistance of the W-10Cr-2Ti alloy since only crack formation is observed.

The current magnetic confinement nuclear fusion power reactor concepts going beyond ITER are based on assumptions about the availability of materials with extreme mechanical, heat, and neutron load capacity. In Europe, the development of such structural and armour materials together with the necessary production, machining, and fabrication technologies is pursued within the EFDA long-term fusion materials programme. This paper reviews the progress of work within the programme in the area of tungsten and tungsten alloys. Results, conclusions, and future projections are summarized for each of the programme's main subtopics, which are: (1) fabrication, (2) structural W materials, (3) W armour materials, and (4) materials science and modelling. It gives a detailed overview of the latest results on materials research, fabrication processes, joining options, high heat flux testing, plasticity studies, modelling, and validation experiments. (C) 2012 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.

Tungsten is currently deemed as a promising plasma-facing material (PFM) for the future power plant DEMO. In the case of an accident, air can get into contact with PFMs during the air ingress. The temperature of PFMs can rise up to 1200 °C due to nuclear decay heat in the case of damaged coolant supply. Heated neutron-activated tungsten forms a volatile radioactive oxide which can be mobilized into the atmosphere. New self-passivating 'smart' alloys can adjust their properties to the environment. During plasma operation the preferential sputtering of lighter alloying elements will leave an almost pure tungsten surface facing the plasma. During an accident the alloying elements in the bulk are forming oxides thus protecting tungsten from mobilization. Good plasma performance and the suppression of oxidation are required for smart alloys. Bulk tungsten (W)–chroimum (Cr)–titanium (Ti) alloys were exposed together with pure tungsten (W) samples to the steady-state deuterium plasma under identical conditions in the linear plasma device PSI 2. The temperature of the samples was ~576 °C–715 °C, the energy of impinging ions was 210 eV matching well the conditions expected at the first wall of DEMO. Weight loss measurements demonstrated similar mass decrease of smart alloys and pure tungsten samples. The oxidation of exposed samples has proven no effect of plasma exposure on the oxidation resistance. The W–Cr–Ti alloy demonstrated advantageous 3-fold lower mass gain due to oxidation than that of pure tungsten. New yttrium (Y)-containing thin film systems are demonstrating superior performance in comparison to that of W–Cr–Ti systems and of pure W. The oxidation rate constant of W–Cr–Y thin film is 105 times less than that of pure tungsten. However, the detected reactivity of the bulk smart alloy in humid atmosphere is calling for a further improvement.

Precipitation hardened CuCrZr alloy is the baseline option as heat sink material for the water cooled W divertor concept of DEMO owing to its combination of high thermal conductivity and strength. However, traditional processing of CuCrZr by casting and forging or hot rolling involves several challenges: coarsening of Cr precipitates, microstructures highly heterogeneous, or difficulties in obtaining complex geometries. Additive Manufacturing (AM) enables creating innovative solutions with complex structures for heat exchangers and heat sinks. Compared to Laser Powder Bed Fusion (L-PBF), the EB-PBF (Electron Beam Powder Bed Fusion) AM technology offers advantages when processing copper alloys: it avoids difficulties associated to the high thermal conductivity and reflectivity of copper-based materials and prevents their oxidation by working under high vacuum. In this work the study of AM of a CuCrZr alloy with nominal composition 0.6–0.9 Cr, 0.07–0.15 Zr (wt.%) has been performed by EB-PBF. A detailed process parameters study has been performed to identify the process window and obtain dense materials free of defects. The process parameters, including post-built heat treatments like age hardening, were correlated with the microstructural evolution, the thermal conductivity and the hardness.

Self-passivating tungsten based alloys will provide a major safety advantage compared to pure tungsten when used as first wall armor of future fusion reactors, due to the formation of a protective oxide layer which prevents the formation of volatile and radioactive WO3 in case of a loss of coolant accident with simultaneous air ingress. Bulk WCr10Ti2 alloys were manufactured by two different powder metallurgical routes: (1) mechanical alloying (MA) followed by hot isostatic pressing (HIP) of metallic capsules, and (2) MA, compaction, pressureless sintering in H2 and subsequent HIPing without encapsulation. Both routes resulted in fully dense materials with homogeneous microstructure and grain sizes of 300 nm and 1 μm, respectively. The content of impurities remained unchanged after HIP, but it increased after sintering due to binder residue. It was not possible to produce large samples by route (2) due to difficulties in the uniaxial compaction stage. Flexural strength and fracture toughness measured on samples produced by route (1) revealed a ductile-to-brittle-transition temperature (DBTT) of about 950 °C. The strength increased from room temperature to 800 °C, decreasing significantly in the plastic region. An increase of fracture toughness is observed around the DBTT.