Behavior of the Pb–Li alloy impurities by ICP-MS

Abstract

The ITER and DEMO projects are developing new test blanket modules (TBM), such as HCLL where the Li–Pb alloy plays a key role in the new commercial fusion reactors functionality. Lithium–lead eutectic alloy has no known uses outside of fusion technology, so the available databases of this material are currently incomplete. It is very important, within the material specifications, to have a complete characterization in order to define their chemical and physical properties, because any variation in the alloy composition has significant consequences in their behavior, and therefore in their regenerative function inside the blanket.This report provides a procedure to perform a wide material characterization, assessing the concentrations of major elements, as well as a review of trace level impurities that can be found both in the eutectic alloy as in starting materials. In this determination inductively coupled plasma mass spectrometry (ICP-MS) technique plays an important role, because as a highly sensitive technique it allows very low detection limits.