Effects of repetitive thermal loads on microstructure and mechanical properties of potassium-doped tungsten alloy as plasma facing material
Plasma-facing materials (PFMs) in fusion reactors are inevitably subjected to severe thermal shocks, making the performance of tungsten (W)-based PFMs under repetitive high thermal loads critical for the long-term stable operation of fusion reactors. Potassium-doped W (W–K) alloys present a promisin...
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| Format: | Article |
| Language: | English |
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IOP Publishing
2025-01-01
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| Series: | Nuclear Fusion |
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| Online Access: | https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/adabf8 |
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| author | Hui Wang Zhuo-Ming Xie Da-Huan Zhu Mu-Lan Yu Yin-Juan Fu Rui Liu Xian-Ping Wang Qian-Feng Fang Chang-Song Liu Xue-Bang Wu |
| author_facet | Hui Wang Zhuo-Ming Xie Da-Huan Zhu Mu-Lan Yu Yin-Juan Fu Rui Liu Xian-Ping Wang Qian-Feng Fang Chang-Song Liu Xue-Bang Wu |
| author_sort | Hui Wang |
| collection | DOAJ |
| description | Plasma-facing materials (PFMs) in fusion reactors are inevitably subjected to severe thermal shocks, making the performance of tungsten (W)-based PFMs under repetitive high thermal loads critical for the long-term stable operation of fusion reactors. Potassium-doped W (W–K) alloys present a promising alternative for PFMs due to their superior thermal and mechanical properties. However, unlike conventional second-phase particles, the K bubbles within W alloys do not form distinct phase interfaces with the W matrix, leaving their behavior poorly understood under transient thermal loads. This study investigates the effects of cyclic thermal loads on the evolution of K bubbles and mechanical properties of W–K alloys. Thermal load tests were conducted with a single-pulse duration of 1 s at absorbed power densities of 10, 13, 15 and 20 MW m ^−2 for 50 cycles at room temperature. Tensile test results indicate an unexpected increase in ductility in the W–K alloy while maintaining high strength after exposure to thermal loads at 10 and 13 MW m ^−2 . Microstructural analyses reveal that K-tubes with large aspect ratios rupture due to Rayleigh instability, leading to the formation of well-dispersed, nano-sized polyhedral K bubbles. These fine K bubbles, with abundant dislocations at their interfaces, serve as dislocation sources, enhancing ductility. The present work offers a physical depiction of K bubble evolution in W–K alloys under thermal fatigue conditions relevant to fusion environments, suggesting a strategy for optimizing their mechanical properties by promoting the formation of nano-sized, interface-dislocation-decorated K bubbles. |
| format | Article |
| id | doaj-art-405ac65f14b04e98b91841d573d78a9e |
| institution | Kabale University |
| issn | 0029-5515 |
| language | English |
| publishDate | 2025-01-01 |
| publisher | IOP Publishing |
| record_format | Article |
| series | Nuclear Fusion |
| spelling | doaj-art-405ac65f14b04e98b91841d573d78a9e2025-01-31T10:46:03ZengIOP PublishingNuclear Fusion0029-55152025-01-0165202606710.1088/1741-4326/adabf8Effects of repetitive thermal loads on microstructure and mechanical properties of potassium-doped tungsten alloy as plasma facing materialHui Wang0https://orcid.org/0009-0002-5935-0016Zhuo-Ming Xie1Da-Huan Zhu2Mu-Lan Yu3Yin-Juan Fu4Rui Liu5Xian-Ping Wang6Qian-Feng Fang7https://orcid.org/0000-0002-6167-0011Chang-Song Liu8https://orcid.org/0000-0002-9591-4483Xue-Bang Wu9https://orcid.org/0000-0002-8343-7894Key Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Hefei 230031, ChinaKey Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Hefei 230031, ChinaInstitute of Plasma Physics , HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences, Hefei 230031, ChinaKey Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Hefei 230031, ChinaKey Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Hefei 230031, China; University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei 230026, ChinaKey Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Hefei 230031, ChinaKey Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Hefei 230031, ChinaKey Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Hefei 230031, ChinaKey Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Hefei 230031, ChinaKey Laboratory of Materials Physics, Institute of Solid State Physics, HFIPS, Chinese Academy of Sciences , Hefei 230031, China; University of Science and Technology of China , Hefei 230026, ChinaPlasma-facing materials (PFMs) in fusion reactors are inevitably subjected to severe thermal shocks, making the performance of tungsten (W)-based PFMs under repetitive high thermal loads critical for the long-term stable operation of fusion reactors. Potassium-doped W (W–K) alloys present a promising alternative for PFMs due to their superior thermal and mechanical properties. However, unlike conventional second-phase particles, the K bubbles within W alloys do not form distinct phase interfaces with the W matrix, leaving their behavior poorly understood under transient thermal loads. This study investigates the effects of cyclic thermal loads on the evolution of K bubbles and mechanical properties of W–K alloys. Thermal load tests were conducted with a single-pulse duration of 1 s at absorbed power densities of 10, 13, 15 and 20 MW m ^−2 for 50 cycles at room temperature. Tensile test results indicate an unexpected increase in ductility in the W–K alloy while maintaining high strength after exposure to thermal loads at 10 and 13 MW m ^−2 . Microstructural analyses reveal that K-tubes with large aspect ratios rupture due to Rayleigh instability, leading to the formation of well-dispersed, nano-sized polyhedral K bubbles. These fine K bubbles, with abundant dislocations at their interfaces, serve as dislocation sources, enhancing ductility. The present work offers a physical depiction of K bubble evolution in W–K alloys under thermal fatigue conditions relevant to fusion environments, suggesting a strategy for optimizing their mechanical properties by promoting the formation of nano-sized, interface-dislocation-decorated K bubbles.https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/adabf8potassium-doped tungstenthermal loadsductilityinterfacedislocations |
| spellingShingle | Hui Wang Zhuo-Ming Xie Da-Huan Zhu Mu-Lan Yu Yin-Juan Fu Rui Liu Xian-Ping Wang Qian-Feng Fang Chang-Song Liu Xue-Bang Wu Effects of repetitive thermal loads on microstructure and mechanical properties of potassium-doped tungsten alloy as plasma facing material Nuclear Fusion potassium-doped tungsten thermal loads ductility interface dislocations |
| title | Effects of repetitive thermal loads on microstructure and mechanical properties of potassium-doped tungsten alloy as plasma facing material |
| title_full | Effects of repetitive thermal loads on microstructure and mechanical properties of potassium-doped tungsten alloy as plasma facing material |
| title_fullStr | Effects of repetitive thermal loads on microstructure and mechanical properties of potassium-doped tungsten alloy as plasma facing material |
| title_full_unstemmed | Effects of repetitive thermal loads on microstructure and mechanical properties of potassium-doped tungsten alloy as plasma facing material |
| title_short | Effects of repetitive thermal loads on microstructure and mechanical properties of potassium-doped tungsten alloy as plasma facing material |
| title_sort | effects of repetitive thermal loads on microstructure and mechanical properties of potassium doped tungsten alloy as plasma facing material |
| topic | potassium-doped tungsten thermal loads ductility interface dislocations |
| url | https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/adabf8 |
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