Nuclear fusion materials

Oxide dispersion strengthened steels

Oxide dispersion strengthened ferritic/martensitic steels are potential candidate materials for structural components in fusion reactors for their improved mechanical properties over the austenitic steels, higher operating temperatures, resistance to swelling and hydrogen embritlement. However, the detailed behaviour of microstructural features and grain boundaries in the ODS alloys is still unclear.

For more details on this project, please contact Ms. Ceri Williams or Prof. George Smith.

W alloys

Tungsten alloys are candidate materials for first wall and divertor components of future fusion reactors. During irradiation by high energy neutrons, transmutation elements such as rhenium and osmium accumulate in the vicinity of displacement cascades and modify the local properties of the alloys. Detailed kinetics and solute interactions with defects remain to be understood.

For more details on this project, please contact Ms. Ceri Williams or Prof. George Smith.