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Projects: Projects for Investigator
Reference Number EP/E035671/1
Title Putting next generation fusion materials on the fast track
Status Completed
Energy Categories Nuclear Fission and Fusion(Nuclear Fusion) 100%;
Research Types Basic and strategic applied research 100%
Science and Technology Fields PHYSICAL SCIENCES AND MATHEMATICS (Physics) 100%
UKERC Cross Cutting Characterisation Not Cross-cutting 100%
Principal Investigator Dr DM Duffy
No email address given
Physics and Astronomy
University College London
Award Type Standard
Funding Source EPSRC
Start Date 01 October 2007
End Date 30 September 2010
Duration 36 months
Total Grant Value £117,781
Industrial Sectors Energy
Region London
Programme Energy Research Capacity, Materials, Mechanical and Medical Eng
 
Investigators Principal Investigator Dr DM Duffy , Physics and Astronomy, University College London (99.999%)
  Other Investigator Professor AM Stoneham , Physics and Astronomy, University College London (0.001%)
  Industrial Collaborator Project Contact , EURATOM/CCFE (0.000%)
Project Contact , Morgan Advanced Materials and Technology (0.000%)
Project Contact , Meggitt Aircraft Braking Systems (0.000%)
Web Site
Objectives
Abstract Enormous numbers of energetic neutrons are released when helium is produced by the fusion of deuterium and tritium at high temperatures, as in our Sun. This promises to solve the World's long-term energy needs if a controlled version can be carried out on Earth. JET at Culham has been one of the leading experimental reactors for magnetically confined fusion using gaseous plasmas, and has been an important step towards designing the international thermonuclear experimental reactor, ITER.UKfusion technology is now on the "fast track" and will demand a new generation of materials for commercial reactor construction. The selection of materials for ITER has been based on those available some years ago, but there are trade-offs in deciding whether to use high temperature metals that are resistant to plasma erosion but liable to be damaged by radiation and also contaminate the pure plasma, or to use light elements that are toxic (beryllium) or more easily eroded andmay absorb significant amounts of tritium fuel (graphite).We want to establish a materials capability for the next generation, and in particular to exploit our capability in diamond films as a route to "designer carbons" as plasma-facing wall materials. This proposal intends to coat carbon tiles with diamond on a large scale, in order to lower the erosion rates, dust formation, and tritium absorption, by using the unique properties of diamond, namely high temperature stability,radiation resistance, high atomic density and unsurpassed chemical stability in the presence of hydrogen plasmas. This solution enables the preferred use of low atomic number plasma-facing materials. Computational modelling of carbon structures will complement the experimental programme in optimising the chemical and physical structure of a composite functional material exposed to radiation. If successful, this approach would enable reactors to operate for longer periods before component replacements and without compromising the tritium inventory
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Added to Database 22/02/07