Status and strategy of fusion materials development in China

• Published in: Journal of nuclear materials 2009-04, Vol.386, p.400-404
• Main Authors: Huang, Q.Y., Wu, Y.C., Li, J.G., Wan, F.R., Chen, J.L., Luo, G.N., Liu, X., Chen, J.M., Xu, Z.Y., Zhou, X.G., Ju, X., Shan, Y.Y., Yu, J.N., Zhu, S.Y., Zhang, P.Y., Yang, J.F., Chen, X.J., Dong, S.M.
• Format: Article
• Language: English
• Subjects: Applied sciences; Assessments; Channels; Controled nuclear fusion plants; Criteria; Energy; Energy. Thermal use of fuels; Exact sciences and technology; Fission nuclear power plants; Fuels; Fusion reactors; Installations for energy generation and conversion: thermal and electrical energy; Liquid metals; Nuclear fuels; Nuclear power generation; Nuclear reactor components; Nuclear reactors; Structural materials
• ISSN: 0022-3115; 1873-4820
• DOI: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2008.12.158

The liquid metal and solid ceramic pebble breeder blankets have become the most promising blankets for ITER-TBMs or DEMO reactors in China and the world due to their potential advantages. In recent years the corresponding research work on fusion reactor materials mainly focuses on structural materials, plasma facing materials and the functional materials for the blanket such as breeder, coating and flow channel insert etc. for the successful application of fusion energy in the near future. The R&D on those materials in the two kinds of blankets is being carried out widely in China, including fabrication and manufacturing techniques, physical/mechanical properties assessment before and after irradiation, joining techniques for structural materials, compatibility evaluation, and the development and verification of the criteria for fusion material designs. The progress on main R&D activities of fusion reactor materials in China is introduced and prospected in the paper.