Radiation-Resistant Tungsten Alloys and Plasma-Facing Materials for Fusion Reactors
This community investigates how metals and ceramics withstand the extreme heat and particle bombardment inside fusion reactors, specifically focusing on materials that form the reactor walls and exhaust systems.
The work centers on tungsten-based heavy alloys, oxide dispersion-strengthened steels, and refractory high-entropy alloys. Researchers use molecular dynamics simulations and ion irradiation experiments to study helium bubble formation, grain boundary evolution, and mechanical degradation under neutron and plasma exposure. Key applications include divertor components, breeding blankets, and plasma-facing tiles for tokamaks like ITER and ASDEX Upgrade. Recent efforts also explore additive manufacturing techniques, such as spark plasma sintering and powder bed fusion, to produce these complex structures with improved ductility and thermal stability.
The largest share of the community's output is found in tungsten research, accounting for 8.8% of all tungsten studies, and helium research, representing 6.5% of all helium studies. Beryllium research also contributes significantly, with this community comprising 7.3% of that element's tracked literature.
The community comprises 52,517 papers, published primarily in the Journal of Nuclear Materials, Fusion Engineering and Design, and Nuclear Fusion.
Recent work focuses on the design of the ST-E1 fusion power plant, including plasma scenarios, tritium processing, and power exhaust. Other recent studies examine defect engineering in ceramics to suppress helium damage and the radiation resistance of high-entropy alloys compared to pure tungsten.