Extreme stress on plasma walls: “Materials research is a key issue!”

Dr. Alexander von Müller has been leading a new junior research group at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics since 2025, focusing on the development and research of novel materials for fusion reactor walls – funded by the German Federal Ministry of Education and Research (BMFTR). Here he explains his research.
 

What role does materials science play in fusion research?

The materials used for the first wall of a fusion device are exposed to extreme loadings: high particle and heat fluxes, including irradiation with high-energy neutrons, which continuously degrade desirable material properties such as conductivity or strength. Against this background, materials research is a key topic on the path to operating and economically viable fusion devices.

What is the goal of your new junior research group?

My group develops and investigates novel composite materials for components in fusion devices that are exposed to high heat fluxes – in particular for divertors. These are areas where very high heat and particle flows impinge on the wall and must be reliably dissipated. We focus on tungsten-copper composite solutions that can combine very good heat removal capability with high mechanical integrity. This work is funded as part of the BMFTR project ICoStruc (Innovative composite structures for plasma-facing components in magnetic confinement fusion devices). In this context, we want to exploit cutting edge technologies such as additive manufacturing (“3D printing”) or tungsten fibre-reinforcement to realise tailor-made material combinations.

What motivates you personally in your research?

I am excited that our work addresses a fundamental challenge in fusion research: How can we develop and manufacture materials and components that will operate reliably for years under the extreme conditions at the first wall of a fusion power plant? To answer this question, we are working at the interface between plasma-wall interaction, materials research, and component design. And it is precisely this complexity that makes the project so exciting for me.

Alexander von Müller received his doctorate in 2017 from the IPP and the Technical University of Munich. He then became a research associate and scientific advisor at the IPP. Dr. von Müller's new junior research group at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) is funded by the Federal Ministry of Research, Technology, and Space (BMFTR).