Description of need
Fusion reactors (e.g. reactors based on deuterium-tritium) involve lots of neutron radiation. This will potentially create lots of material degradation, so it is essential to understand these degradation mechanisms in order to develop neutron radiation-resistant materials and to understand how to monitor and predict inevitable degradation of materials in a fusion reactor.
Materials for which the community needs better irradiation understanding include:
- Ceramic breeder materials
- Multiplier materials (e.g. Be or Be oxide)
- Structural materials (e.g. low-activation materials)
Regulatory bodies may require proton irradiation testing for fusion plants if they become convinced that such testing is relevant.
Problem severity (1-10)
Unknown
Who has this need
- Fusion energy companies
- University researchers
Total addressable market (TAM)
Unknown
Solutions today, and their shortcomings
- Materials irradiation in nuclear reactors. Downsides:
- Low material damage rates
- High cost at rare facilities
- Long and few learning cycles
- Low fidelity for most fusion materials
- Low energy proton / self-ion beams. Downsides:
- Damages surface layers not bulk materials
- Inability to extrapolate to bulk properties
- Low fidelity for most fusion materials
- IFMIF DONES facility. Downsides:
- First material data in early 2040s at the earliest.