• Nogueira, I. D.
• Hanada, K.
• Carvalho, P. A.
• Correia, Jorge
• Livramento, V.
• Liberal Fernandes, Hugo
• Shohoji, N.
• Nunes, Daniela
• Osawa, E.
• Silva, C.

Abstract

<p>Copper alloys are being considered as heat-sink materials for first wall panels of the international thermonuclear experimental reactor due to their favorable thermal conductivity, mechanical strength and radiation resistance. These materials are required to withstand thermal, mechanical and neutron loads as well as operation under cyclic mode. Tungsten is currently under intense investigation for application as plasma facing material due to its high resistance to plasma erosion and moderate tritium retention. However, in both cases increased performance is desirable and alternative solutions are sought. Diamond has extremely high thermal conductivity and Cu-nDiamond and W-nDiamond nanocomposites produced by mechanical alloying are promising candidates for those purposes. Cu-nDiamond and W-nDiamond were produced by high and mild-energy ball milling and were subsequently consolidated by thermomechanical processes. Adequate cross-sections were exposed to cyclic high-energy plasma in the ISTTOK tokamak. Plasma erosion has been assessed by electron microscopy.</p>

Topics

• nanocomposite
• impedance spectroscopy
• milling
• strength
• copper
• electron microscopy
• ball milling
• ball milling
• tungsten
• thermal conductivity
• copper alloy