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- Elemental interdiffusion in W-Ta composites developed for fusion applicationsPublication . Mateus, R.; Dias, Marta; Livramento, Vanessa; Nunes, D.; Almeida Carvalho, Patricia; Hanada, K.; Correia, J.B.Tungsten (W) was select for an extensive use in nuclear fusion devices due to its low neutron activation, high melting point and sputtering threshold as well as low hydrogen inventory. Nevertheless, W is brittle at low and moderate temperatures, which results in abnormal thermal stress, component fracture and extra erosion under reactor operation due to inherent thermal cycling events. An attractive way to solve these problems involves the addition of other refractory metals in the W matrix and tantalum (Ta) is a natural candidate. It has a high ductility, toughness and radiation resistance relative to those of W and transmutes to W by high-energy neutron irradiation. Recently, IST proposed the production of W-Ta composite by mechanical synthesis.
- Blistering of W–Ta composites at different irradiation energiesPublication . Mateus, R.; Dias, Marta; Lopes, J.; Rocha, J.; Catarino, N.; Duarte, P.; Gomes, R. B.; Silva, C.; Fernandes, H.; Livramento, Vanessa; Carvalho, Patricia Almeida; Alves, E.; Hanada, K.; Correia, J.B.Pure tungsten and tantalum plates and tungsten–tantalum composites produced via mechanical alloying and spark plasma sintering were bombarded with He+ and D+ energetic ion beams and deuterium plasmas. The aim of this experiment is to study the effects caused by individual helium and deuterium exposures and to evidence that the modifications induced in the composites at different irradiation energies could be followed by irradiating the pristine constituent elements under the same experimental conditions, which is relevant considering the development of tailored composites for fusion applications. Higher D retentions, especially in tungsten, and superficial blistering are observed in both components after helium exposure. The blistering is magnified in the tantalum phase of composites due to its higher ductility and to water vapour production under deuterium irradiation. At lower irradiation energies the induced effects are minor. After plasma exposure, the presence of tantalum does not increase the D content in the composites.
- Synergistic helium and deuterium blistering in tungsten–tantalum compositesPublication . Dias, Marta; Mateus, R.; Catarino, N.; Franco, N.; Nunes, D.; Correia, J.B.; Carvalho, Patricia Almeida; Hanada, K.; Sârbu, C.; Alves, E.Tungsten–tantalum composites with 10 and 20 at.% Ta were prepared by ball milling W powder with Ta fibers and by consolidating the milled materials with spark plasma sintering. The composites were implanted at room temperature with He+ (30 keV with a fluence 5 1021 at/m2) and/or D+ (15 keV with a fluence 5 x 1021 at/m2) ion beams. The materials were studied by scanning and high-resolution transmission electron microscopy, both coupled with energy dispersive X-ray spectroscopy, and by X-ray diffraction, Rutherford backscattering spectrometry and nuclear reaction analysis. The microstructure observations revealed that the milling operation resulted in severe fragmentation of the Ta fibers. Furthermore, during the consolidation process the Ta phase acted as oxygen getter and reduced theWoxide present in the original material. The surface of the tungsten–tantalum composites implanted with D+ remained essentially unaltered, while the materials implanted with He+ evidenced blisters on the Ta-rich regions. D retention in the composites increased with He+ pre-implantation.
- Effects of helium and deuterium irradiation on SPS sintered W–Ta composites at different temperaturesPublication . Mateus, R.; Dias, Marta; Lopes, J.; Rocha, J.; Catarino, N.; Franco, N.; Livramento, Vanessa; Almeida Carvalho, Patricia; Correia, J.B.; Hanada, K.; Alves, E.Energetic He+ and D+ ions were implanted into different W–Ta composites in order to investigate their stability under helium and deuterium irradiation. The results were compared with morphological and chemical modifications arising from exposure of pure W and Ta. Special attention was given to tantalum hydride (Ta2H)formation due to its implications for tritium inventory. Three W–Ta composites with 10 and 20 at.% Ta were prepared from elemental W powder and Ta fibre or powder through low-energy ball milling in argon atmosphere. Spark plasma sintering (SPS) was used as the consolidation process in the temperature range from 1473 to 1873 K. The results obtained from pure elemental samples and composites are similar. However, Ta2H is easily formed in pure Ta by using a pre-implantation stage of He+, whereas in W–Ta composites the same reaction is clearly reduced, and it can be inhibited by controlling the sintering temperature.