Fusion Materials

Research status



The "Plasma-facing Materials and Components" project covers five topics, most of which are treated in conjunction with other divisions.


High-Z layers
Here tungsten layers for use in ASDEX Upgrade are being investigated and further developed. Particular attention is being paid to the interaction of chemical and diffusion-controlled processes.

Low-Z materials
Sections of the first wall of Wendelstein 7-X are to be clad with a protective layer of plasma-sprayed boron carbide. The layers developed by industrial contractors are being investigated in respect of erosion, thermal conductivity, and layer composition and structure. Additional activities have been modelling of the thermomechanical behaviour and testing of the plasma-material interaction in TEXTOR and the plasma generator of the Plasma Diagnostics Division.

In collaboration with CEIT, the Spanish research institute at San Sebastian, graphite containing admixtures of finely dispersed carbides was synthesised for basic studies.

Surface processes on plasma-facing materials
The investigations here are concerned with the principles of erosion due to particle impact, the implantation of particles in surfaces, and surface reactions.

Properties of components
Microscopic processes causing damage to composite materials are being investigated. Material data for modelling these processes are to be obtained by means of a dynamic indenter facility. Thin diffusion barrier layers serving to restrain the tritium required in fusion power plants are deposited by a plasma process and characterised.

Material migration in fusion devices
In ASDEX Upgrade it is mainly transport of tungsten in the plasma vessel and divertor and coating of the tungsten layer with carbon that are investigated. For this purpose long-time samples and wall components are being analysed.

It is also intended to incorporate, for example, trial tungsten tiles in the JET experiment.