Configuration and characters of novel Li2TiO3 tritium breeder cubic units with tuned channel structure via lithography-based 3D printing

Abstract

Li2TiO3 is regarded as a vital tritium breeder candidate due to its favorable properties in Helium-Cooled Pebble Bed. However, the point contact stress breakage for traditional pebble structure can cause the blocking of tritium recovery system, and seriously reduce the safety and tritium self-sufficiency ability of fusion reactor. For addressing above problems, in this paper, complex-shaped Li2TiO3 cubic units were manufactured firstly via lithography-based 3D printing. According to the principle of tritium transport, the cubic unit structures with ordered channels were built and evaluated by finite element analysis. The photocuring parameters were optimized to improve printing accuracy by establishing an overgrowth model. After optimizing the sintering schedule, the Li2TiO3 cubic units with excellent relative density (92.3%TD) and packing factor (80.99%) were yielded, and it also had an outstanding compressive strength (84.4 MPa). The results of thermal cycling test shown that the Li2TiO3 cubic units possessed a prominent thermal cyclic durability.