Fusion materials Modelling and Experiments

The working group is investigating the relationship between microstructural changes and the mechanical properties of materials used in plasma-exposed components.
 

The development of plasma-facing components (PFCs) is a key challenge for the long-term operation of future fusion power plants. PFCs must be able to withstand the extreme conditions of the fusion environment. These include, amongst other things, high heat flux, neutron bombardment and interactions with helium and hydrogen isotopes.

The combined stresses within a fusion reactor can lead to the failure of PFC materials. Material behaviour is largely determined by the microstructure: factors such as grain size, phase distribution, impurities and defect density determine the material’s ability to withstand loads without catastrophic failure. These combined loads have a disproportionately large influence on microstructural development and, consequently, on mechanical properties. Predicting how these interactions contribute to material failure is crucial for assessing the longevity and reliability of components. Current material testing focuses primarily on isolated loads such as high heat fluxes or irradiation, whilst the combined influence of multiple loads is often neglected.

Due to limited testing facilities, comprehensive combinatorial tests are not currently possible. Consequently, the current understanding of material performance under fusion-relevant conditions is incomplete, and the path to industrial qualification of materials for fusion reactors remains uncertain. The research group is working on the development and validation of computer models that link microstructural changes to the mechanical properties of fusion materials and predict the performance of components under combined loads. This work will be achieved through the integration of experimentally validated models and simulations to predict how mechanical properties evolve with microstructural changes in PFC materials. This includes the development and execution of experiments and computer models.