Research at the Section for Materials and Surface Engineering is strongly multi-disciplinary and includes aspects of mechanics, physics, chemistry and manufacturing technology. Activities involve theoretical, experimental, and simulation approaches and span from fundamental research of generic importance to applied research of strategic importance for specific applications.
Three broader themes are pursued: materials design and surface engineering, microstructure evolution and phase transformations and materials performance and degradation.
The activities in the Section for Materials and Surface Engineering towards realizing fusion energy focus on the materials for plasma-facing components of the blanket and divertor: tungsten and its alloys as armor material, copper alloys as high heat flux material and reduced activation ferritic-martensitic steels as structural material.
During operation of future fusion reactors, plasma-facing components experience high thermal loads and high heat fluxes. To qualify high heat flux materials, their microstructural evolution during heat treatments at temperatures slightly above the expected operation temperatures is characterized. For this purpose, advanced ex-situ and in-situ characterization techniques are employed as x-ray diffraction, scanning electron microscopy, electron backscatter diffraction and computed tomography. In combination with dedicated data analysis to quantify the material microstructure, materials modelling allows one to predict microstructure evolution and associated changes in the material properties. In this manner, degradation of tungsten-based materials during operation as armor of plasma-facing components is assessed and the potential lifetime in service is predicted.
The group of Wolfgang Pantleon at the Section of Materials and Surface Engineering participates in the European coordinated programme for fusion research in the work packages on materials (MAT) and on plasma-wall interaction and exhaust (PWIE). In close collaboration with other European and international research groups (IPP, FZJ, KIT, IJS, NIMP, CIEMAT, HFUT) materials are characterized and developed further.