About this Abstract |
Meeting |
2023 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
Symposium
|
Transmutation Effects in Fusion Reactor Materials: Critical Challenges & Path Forward
|
Presentation Title |
Effects of Carbide Dispersoids on Helium Bubble Formation in Dispersion-strengthened Tungsten |
Author(s) |
Xing Wang, Ashrakat Saefan, Eric Lang, Jean Paul Allain |
On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Xing Wang |
Abstract Scope |
Dispersion-strengthened tungsten (DS-W) has shown improved thermomechanical properties compared to W as plasma-facing components (PFC). Exposure to the high fluence of helium (He) is a critical challenge for PFC due to the formation of bubbles and surface nanostructures. Here we investigated the role of carbide dispersoids in bubble formation by in-situ annealing conducted in transmission electron microscopes (TEM). DS-W samples were first irradiated by 2 MeV He at room temperature and only tiny cavities (<1 nm) were found in the material. After annealing at 900 °C for about 30 mins, large bubbles (≥ 3nm) started to appear in both W and carbide. However, few bubbles could be observed at or near W-carbide interfaces, suggesting that the interfaces acted as defect sinks and suppressed bubble formation. Optimizing the composition and distribution of carbide dispersoids can provide a promising approach to designing W-based PFC with superior resistance to He irradiation. |
Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
Keywords |
Other, Nuclear Materials, Characterization |