About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2026 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
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Materials Corrosion Behavior in Advanced Nuclear Reactor Environments III
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| Presentation Title |
Investigating the Impact of Lead-Lithium Eutectic on Structural Materials for Fusion Breeding Blankets |
| Author(s) |
Daniel E. Levario, Xavier Angus, Marie Romedenne, Claude De Lamater-Brotherton, Guillermo Maldonado, Nicholas Brown, Son Quang, Jennifer Esperson, Osman Anderoglu |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Daniel E. Levario |
| Abstract Scope |
As fusion power moves closer to feasibility, interest in sustaining this reaction has grown. A key challenge is identifying materials compatible with breeding blankets structures that breed new fuel, shield the reactor, and aid cooling. Liquid metals like lead-lithium are promising due to their fuel breeding ability, low melting point, and high conductivity. At the University of New Mexico (UNM), ongoing studies examine lead-lithium corrosion under static conditions. A stainless steel 316 (SS316) chamber holds C-ring specimens submerged in lead-lithium for extended periods inside an inert glove-box environment to assess compatibility. The research also explores whether coatings or modified conditions can improve steel performance. Analysis includes scanning electron microscopy (SEM) to observe corrosion effects and ICP-OES to detect impurities and leached elements from the liquid metal. These efforts will help establish a benchmark for future studies with a flowing lead-lithium loop now under development at UNM. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Nuclear Materials, High-Temperature Materials, Other |