Open Access Conference Proceedings

During the operation of fusion devices, the plasma facing components are exposed to high thermal loads from the plasma resulting in mechanical stress formation, as well as to electromagnetic forces and severe particle fluxes. Materials used for this application have to sustain demanding operational conditions. Tungsten represents the material suitable for this application for its high melting point, high strength at elevated temperatures along with good thermal conductivity and high resistance to sputtering. High strength performance of the material is coupled with low ductility. Ductility and thermal conductivity of tungsten can be increased by introduction of copper. For these reasons, tungsten and tungsten-copper composite have been studied for their mechanical performance. Specimens from both materials were subjected to tensile test at high temperatures in the range from 300 to 600 °C. Elastic modulus along with yield and ultimate tensile strength were evaluated. Scanning electron microscopy was adopted to identify the character of the fracture mode. Typically, the tensile strength decreases as the testing temperature increases for both materials. Addition of copper resulted in significant increase in maximum elongation but also in the decrease of strength when compared to pure tungsten. Temperature related mechanical performance of the materials is discussed with respect to fracture morphology of the tested specimens.

Keywords: Tungsten-based materials, tensile testing, elevated temperatures, fractographic analysis, plasma facing materials

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