Modification of Carbon–Carbon Composite Materials under High-Fluence Irradiation of Fusion Plasma Ions

• Published in: Physics of atomic nuclei 2022-12, Vol.85 (10), p.1737-1743
• Main Authors: Andrianova, N. N., Borisov, A. M., Mashkova, E. S., Ovchinnikov, M. A.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Argon; Carbon; Carbon fibers; Composite materials; Electric waves; Electromagnetic radiation; Electromagnetic waves; Electron emission; Fluence; Graphite; Helium ions; Incidence angle; Ion irradiation; Neon; Nuclear energy; Nuclear power plants; Particle and Nuclear Physics; Physics; Physics and Astronomy; Radiation; Radiation damage; Rare gases; Room temperature; Simulation; Solids under Extreme Conditions; Surface layers; Texture
• ISSN: 1063-7788; 1562-692X
• DOI: 10.1134/S1063778822090034

The modification of carbon–carbon composite materials under high fluence (>3 × 10 18 cm –2 ) irradiation with Не + , Ne + , Ar + , and С + ions with energies of 10–30 keV at irradiation temperatures from room temperature to 600°C has been studied experimentally. It is shown that irradiation of carbon fibers with the ion energies of tens of kiloelectronvolts allows simulating radiation damage in graphites with levels of radiation damage up to several hundred displacements per atom (dpa) and simultaneously studying the effect of ion irradiation at different angles of incidence on plasma-facing materials of fusion plants. The irradiation with helium ions is appropriate for simulation of radiation damage under mechanical stress conditions which include both compression and extension. Irradiation with heavier ions of noble gases (Ne, Ar) is applicable to simulation of mechanical compression stresses. The temperature dependences of the ion-induced electron emission reflect the surface texture of graphite materials and can be used as a method of in situ control of the fiber shell texture.