Abstract
A viable fusion power station is reliant on the development of plasma facing materials that can withstand the combined effects of high temperature operation and high neutron doses. In this study we focus on W, the most promising candidate material. Re is the primary transmutation product and has been shown to induce embrittlement through cluster formation and precipitation below its predicted solubility limit in W. We investigate the mechanism behind this using a kinetic Monte Carlo model, implemented into Stochastic Parallel PARticle Kinetic Simulator (SPPARKS) code and parameterised with a pairwise energy model for both interstitial and vacancy type defects. By introducing point defect sinks into our simulation cell, we observe the formation of Re rich clusters which have a concentration similar to that observed in ion irradiation experiments. We also compliment our computational work with atom probe tomography (APT) of ion implanted, model W-Re alloys. The segregation of Re to grain boundaries is observed in both our APT and KMC simulations.Graphical abstract
Highlights
The realisation of fusion energy is dependant on the development of high performance plasma facing materials that can withstand the extreme operational conditions they will be subjected to
Transmutation of the W plasma facing components (PFCs) occurs through the interaction of the material with 14 MeV neutrons produced by fusion in the reactor core, and results in an alloy of W-ReOs-Ta, the composition of which depends on the time in Contribution to the Topical Issue “Multiscale Materials Modeling”, edited by Yoji Shibutani, Shigenobu Ogata, and Tomotsugu Shimokawa
The samples were implanted with W9+ ions accelerated to 24 MeV at a temperature of 1073 K
Summary
The realisation of fusion energy is dependant on the development of high performance plasma facing materials that can withstand the extreme operational conditions they will be subjected to. Estimates suggest that the plasma facing components (PFCs) in a prototype fusion power station (DEMO) will experience a thermal loading of 10 MW m−2 [1], requiring an operating temperature of around 1300 K. Transmutation of the W PFCs occurs through the interaction of the material with 14 MeV neutrons produced by fusion in the reactor core, and results in an alloy of W-ReOs-Ta, the composition of which depends on the time in Contribution to the Topical Issue “Multiscale Materials Modeling”, edited by Yoji Shibutani, Shigenobu Ogata, and Tomotsugu Shimokawa
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