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Examination Of A Ferritic Martensitic Steel Following Irradiation And High Temperature Water Corrosion

Nuclear energy currently contributes approximately 10 % of the worldwide energy mix.1 Nuclear energy generation is a form of low-carbon electricity, typically run as base-load, which alongside renewables can help nations toward climate change goals. Nuclear fission thermal reactors make up the majority of the reactors operating today. Nuclear fusion on the other hand is a promising alternative which produces less radioactive waste and does not have a reliance on the finite source of uranium fuel. Eurofer-97, a reduced activation ferritic-martensitic (RAFM) steel, will be used as a structural material for fusion reactors. The earliest literature reference to RAFM steels originated from 1994 by Abe et al.2 One option for the European demonstration fusion reactor (DEMO) is to use a water-cooled lead-lithium (PbLi) breeder blanket (WCLL BB) design for heat extraction. Breeder blankets will be used to generate a source of tritium, for the fusion reaction with deuterium. 

Product Number: 51322-18127-SG
Author: Ronald N. Clark, Tomas Martin, Dong Liu, Kun Mo, Jean-Charles Eloi, Robert Burrows, Sean Davis, David Kumar, Chris Harrington, Chris Jones
Publication Date: 2022
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This paper focuses on the characterization of an advanced steel which has been developed for use as a structural material within future nuclear fusion reactors, including in irradiated water coolant-facing locations. In the paper an experimental plan is described which would allow both the corrosion and stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of irradiated Eurofer-97 to be studied. Also included are early results from characterization of self-ion irradiated (using Fe ions) Eurofer-97 following high temperature corrosion experiments using electron microscopy techniques. Field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEG SEM) images of the surfaces of unirradiated Eurofer-97 are compared to conventional unirradiated stainless steel types following a high temperature corrosion experiment. In a different, longer, high temperature corrosion experiment using ion-irradiated Eurofer-97, a focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIB SEM) was used to prepare lamella for observation by high magnification transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and elemental analysis.

This paper focuses on the characterization of an advanced steel which has been developed for use as a structural material within future nuclear fusion reactors, including in irradiated water coolant-facing locations. In the paper an experimental plan is described which would allow both the corrosion and stress corrosion cracking susceptibility of irradiated Eurofer-97 to be studied. Also included are early results from characterization of self-ion irradiated (using Fe ions) Eurofer-97 following high temperature corrosion experiments using electron microscopy techniques. Field emission gun scanning electron microscopy (FEG SEM) images of the surfaces of unirradiated Eurofer-97 are compared to conventional unirradiated stainless steel types following a high temperature corrosion experiment. In a different, longer, high temperature corrosion experiment using ion-irradiated Eurofer-97, a focused ion beam scanning electron microscope (FIB SEM) was used to prepare lamella for observation by high magnification transmission electron microscopy (TEM) and elemental analysis.

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