Recrystallization, cracking, and erosion of dispersoid-strengthened tungsten materials during exposure to divertor plasmas

Kolasinski, Robert D.; Coburn, Jonathan D.; Truong, Dihn D.; Watkins, Jonathan George; Abrams, Tyler; Fang, Z. Zak; Hood, Ryan Thomas; Nygren, Richard E.; Leonard, Anthony W.; Ren, Jun; Rudakov, Dmitry L.; Sugar, Joshua Daniel; Tsui, Cedric Kar Wai; Wang, Huiqian Q.; Whaley, Josh A.; Bykov, Igor; Cruz, Antonio Jose; Glass, Fenton; Herfindal, Jeffrey; Lasnier, Charlie; Marini, Claudio; McLean, Adam; Moser, Auna L.; Nishimoto, Ryan Kirk; Wilcox, Robert; York, Warren Lee

doi:10.1016/j.nme.2025.101982

Recrystallization, cracking, and erosion of dispersoid-strengthened tungsten materials during exposure to divertor plasmas

Journal Article · Fri Sep 05 00:00:00 EDT 2025 · Nuclear Materials and Energy

DOI:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nme.2025.101982· OSTI ID:2588928

^[1]; ^[1]; Truong, Dihn D. ^[1]; Watkins, Jonathan George ^[1]; ^[2]; Fang, Z. Zak ^[3]; ^[1]; Nygren, Richard E. ^[1]; Leonard, Anthony W. ^[2]; ^[4]; Rudakov, Dmitry L. ^[5]; ^[1]; Tsui, Cedric Kar Wai ^[1]; Wang, Huiqian Q. ^[2]; Whaley, Josh A. ^[1]; ^[2]; ^[1]; ^[2]; ^[6]; Lasnier, Charlie ^[7] more »

Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)
General Atomics, San Diego, CA (United States)
Univ. of Utah, Salt Lake City, UT (United States)
Univ. of Tennessee, Knoxville, TN (United States)
Univ. of California, San Diego, CA (United States)
Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL), Livermore, CA (United States)

In this study, we investigated the effects of combined intense particle and heat flux exposure on advanced tungsten plasma-facing materials within the DIII-D fusion facility. Our test matrix included two types of dispersoid-strengthened tungsten (containing either 100 nm diameter TiO₂ or Ni particles), along with high-purity polycrystalline tungsten as a reference. This experiment relied on a sample geometry angled at 15° relative to the divertor surface, thereby allowing the surfaces to intercept steady-state perpendicular heat fluxes (q_⟂) ranging from 10.1 to 19.6 MW/m². During each shot, the samples were exposed to 42 Hz edge-localized modes (ELMs), allowing us to test the material response to transient heating. We correlated the exposure conditions with extensive post-test surface composition analysis and microscopy to determine how the plasma modified each surface. The angled specimens closest to the strike point received the highest combined heat and particle flux and melted midway through the experiment. EBSD analysis revealed they were completely recrystallized throughout, with an average grain size >100 µm. On the other hand, the specimens that received a lower steady state heat flux survived with more superficial surface damage. Whereas the high-purity polycrystalline tungsten exhibited a higher surface roughness, the dispersoid-strengthened material exhibited more extensive shallow inter-granular cracking. In addition, the surface was depleted of dispersoids following plasma exposure, possibly because of evaporation and/or sputtering. The results described here provide insights into the performance of these materials in a fusion environment which can guide further optimization for use in long-pulse devices.

View Accepted Manuscript (DOE)

Research Organization:: Sandia National Laboratories (SNL-CA), Livermore, CA (United States)

Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES); USDOE National Nuclear Security Administration (NNSA)

Grant/Contract Number:: NA0003525; AC05-00OR22725; AC52-07NA27344; FC02-04ER54698; FG02-07ER54917; SC0019256

OSTI ID:: 2588928

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 3002105

Report Number(s):: SAND--2025-11716J; 1750560

Journal Information:: Nuclear Materials and Energy, Journal Name: Nuclear Materials and Energy Journal Issue: 45 Vol. 45; ISSN 2352-1791

Publisher:: ElsevierCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: United States

Language:: English

References (40)

Plasma surface interaction experimental facility (PISCES) for materials and edge physics studies Goebel, D. M.; Campbell, G.; Conn, R. W. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 121 https://doi.org/10.1016/0022-3115(84)90135-1	journal	May 1984
Energy dependence of the ion-induced sputtering yields of monatomic solids Matsunami, Noriaki; Yamamura, Yasunori; Itikawa, Yukikazu Atomic Data and Nuclear Data Tables, Vol. 31, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/0092-640X(84)90016-0	journal	July 1984
Divertor materials evaluation system at DIII-D Wong, C. P. C.; Junge, R.; Phelps, R. D. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 196-198 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0022-3115(06)80159-5	journal	December 1992
ITER R&D: Vacuum Vessel and In-vessel Components: Materials Development and Test Kalinin, G.; Barabash, V.; Fabritsiev, S. Fusion Engineering and Design, Vol. 55, Issue 2-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/S0920-3796(01)00213-7	journal	July 2001
Effects of repetitive ELM-like heat pulses on tungsten surface morphology Ueda, Y.; Toda, M.; Nishikawa, M. Fusion Engineering and Design, Vol. 82, Issue 15-24 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2006.12.002	journal	October 2007
Research status and issues of tungsten plasma facing materials for ITER and beyond Ueda, Y.; Coenen, J. W.; De Temmerman, G. Fusion Engineering and Design, Vol. 89, Issue 7-8 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2014.02.078	journal	October 2014
Gas-driven permeation of deuterium through tungsten and tungsten alloys Buchenauer, Dean A.; Karnesky, Richard A.; Fang, Zhigang Zak Fusion Engineering and Design, Vol. 109-111 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2016.03.045	journal	November 2016
DiMES PMI research at DIII-D in support of ITER and beyond Rudakov, D. L.; Abrams, T.; Ding, R. Fusion Engineering and Design, Vol. 124 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2017.03.007	journal	November 2017
High-flux plasma exposure of ultra-fine grain tungsten Kolasinski, R. D.; Buchenauer, D. A.; Doerner, R. P. International Journal of Refractory Metals and Hard Materials, Vol. 60 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.ijrmhm.2016.05.006	journal	November 2016
Influence of the microstructure on the deuterium retention in tungsten Manhard, A.; Schmid, K.; Balden, M. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 415, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2010.10.045	journal	August 2011
The effect of displacement damage on deuterium retention in ITER-grade tungsten exposed to low-energy, high-flux pure and helium-seeded deuterium plasmas Alimov, V. Kh.; Tyburska-Püschel, B.; Hatano, Y. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 420, Issue 1-3 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2011.10.025	journal	January 2012
Neutron irradiation effects on the mechanical properties of powder metallurgical processed tungsten alloys Miyazawa, Takeshi; Garrison, Lauren M.; Geringer, Josina W. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 529 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2019.151910	journal	February 2020
Recrystallization suppression through dispersion-strengthening of tungsten Lang, E.; Schamis, H.; Madden, N. Journal of Nuclear Materials https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2020.152613	journal	November 2020
High Flux Helium Irradiation of Dispersion-Strengthened Tungsten Alloys and Effects of Heavy Metal Impurity Layer Deposition Lang, E.; Kapat, A.; Morgan, T. W. Journal of Nuclear Materials, Vol. 544 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jnucmat.2020.152672	journal	February 2021
Development of yttrium-containing self-passivating tungsten alloys for future fusion power plants Wegener, T.; Klein, F.; Litnovsky, A. Nuclear Materials and Energy, Vol. 9 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nme.2016.07.011	journal	December 2016
Deciphering the role of second phase precipitates on early-stage surface morphology development of dispersion-strengthened W alloys under low energy He irradiation Lang, Eric; Madden, Nathan; Smith, Charles Nuclear Materials and Energy, Vol. 19 https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nme.2019.01.016	journal	May 2019
Effects of transition metal carbide dispersoids on helium bubble formation in dispersion-strengthened tungsten Saefan, Ashrakat; Liu, Xingyu; Lang, Eric Scientific Reports, Vol. 13, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1038/s41598-023-40421-0	journal	August 2023
Calorimeter probe for the DIII-D divertor Watkins, J. G.; Lasnier, C. J.; Whyte, D. G. Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 74, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.1527241	journal	March 2003
Wide-angle ITER-prototype tangential infrared and visible viewing system for DIII-D Lasnier, C. J.; Allen, S. L.; Ellis, R. E. Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 85, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4892897	journal	November 2014
A multi-technique analysis of deuterium trapping and near-surface precipitate growth in plasma-exposed tungsten Kolasinski, R. D.; Shimada, M.; Oya, Y. Journal of Applied Physics, Vol. 118, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.4928184	journal	August 2015
Challenges for plasma-facing components in nuclear fusion Linke, Jochen; Du, Juan; Loewenhoff, Thorsten Matter and Radiation at Extremes, Vol. 4, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1063/1.5090100	journal	September 2019
Langmuir probe array for the small angle slot divertor in DIII-D Watkins, J. G.; Wang, H. Q.; Thomas, D. Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 92, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0043870	journal	May 2021
The fast camera (Fastcam) imaging diagnostic systems on the DIII-D tokamak Marini, C.; Boedo, J. A.; Hollmann, E. M. Review of Scientific Instruments, Vol. 94, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1063/5.0149484	journal	May 2023
PHENIX U.S.-Japan Collaboration Investigation of Thermal and Mechanical Properties of Thermal Neutron–Shielded Irradiated Tungsten Garrison, Lauren M.; Katoh, Yutai; Geringer, Josina W. Fusion Science and Technology, Vol. 75, Issue 6 https://doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2019.1602390	journal	May 2019
Three-Dimensional Heat Flux and Thermal Analysis of Angled Tungsten Samples on DIII-D Coburn, Jonathan; Kolasinski, Robert; Truong, Dinh Fusion Science and Technology, Vol. 81, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1080/15361055.2025.2493406	journal	June 2025
A design retrospective of the DIII-D tokamak Luxon, J. L. Nuclear Fusion, Vol. 42, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1088/0029-5515/42/5/313	journal	May 2002
The influence of displacement damage on deuterium retention in tungsten exposed to plasma Wampler, W. R.; Doerner, R. P. Nuclear Fusion, Vol. 49, Issue 11 https://doi.org/10.1088/0029-5515/49/11/115023	journal	September 2009
Effect of He on D retention in W exposed to low-energy, high-fluence (D, He, Ar) mixture plasmas Baldwin, M. J.; Doerner, R. P.; Wampler, W. R. Nuclear Fusion, Vol. 51, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1088/0029-5515/51/10/103021	journal	August 2011
Irradiation effect on deuterium behaviour in low-dose HFIR neutron-irradiated tungsten Shimada, Masashi; Cao, G.; Otsuka, T. Nuclear Fusion, Vol. 55, Issue 1 https://doi.org/10.1088/0029-5515/55/1/013008	journal	December 2014
ELM-induced transient tungsten melting in the JET divertor Coenen, J. W.; Arnoux, G.; Bazylev, B. Nuclear Fusion, Vol. 55, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1088/0029-5515/55/2/023010	journal	January 2015
Material ejection and surface morphology changes during transient heat loading of tungsten as plasma-facing component in fusion devices Suslova, A.; El-Atwani, O.; Harilal, S. S. Nuclear Fusion, Vol. 55, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1088/0029-5515/55/3/033007	journal	February 2015
The 2022 Plasma Roadmap: low temperature plasma science and technology Adamovich, I.; Agarwal, S.; Ahedo, E. Journal of Physics D: Applied Physics, Vol. 55, Issue 37 https://doi.org/10.1088/1361-6463/ac5e1c	journal	July 2022
Development of advanced high heat flux and plasma-facing materials Linsmeier, Ch.; Rieth, M.; Aktaa, J. Nuclear Fusion, Vol. 57, Issue 9 https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/aa6f71	journal	June 2017
Experiments on transient melting of tungsten by ELMs in ASDEX Upgrade Krieger, K.; Balden, M.; Coenen, J. W. Nuclear Fusion, Vol. 58, Issue 2 https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/aa9a05	journal	January 2018
Helium, hydrogen, and fuzz in plasma-facing materials Hammond, Karl D. Materials Research Express, Vol. 4, Issue 10 https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/aa8c22	journal	October 2017
Helium bubble size effects on the surface morphological response of plasma-facing tungsten Patel, Omeet N.; Dasgupta, Dwaipayan; Wirth, Brian D. Materials Research Express, Vol. 10, Issue 7 https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/ace67e	journal	July 2023
Recent DIII-D progress toward validating models of tungsten erosion, re-deposition, and migration for application to next-step fusion devices Abrams, T.; Guterl, J. G.; Abe, S. Materials Research Express, Vol. 10, Issue 12 https://doi.org/10.1088/2053-1591/ad0f43	journal	December 2023
Advances in Low-Temperature Tungsten Spectroscopy Capability to Quantify DIII-D Divertor Erosion Abrams, Tyler; Thomas, Daniel M.; Unterberg, Ezekial A. IEEE Transactions on Plasma Science, Vol. 46, Issue 5 https://doi.org/10.1109/TPS.2018.2797691	journal	May 2018
Outstanding radiation resistance of tungsten-based high-entropy alloys El-Atwani, O.; Li, N.; Li, M. Science Advances, Vol. 5, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1126/sciadv.aav2002	journal	March 2019
Fusion materials modeling: Challenges and opportunities Wirth, B. D.; Nordlund, K.; Whyte, D. G. MRS Bulletin, Vol. 36, Issue 3 https://doi.org/10.1557/mrs.2011.37	journal	March 2011

Similar Records

High Flux Helium Irradiation of Dispersion-Strengthened Tungsten Alloys and Effects of Heavy Metal Impurity Layer Deposition

Journal Article · Thu Nov 12 23:00:00 EST 2020 · Journal of Nuclear Materials · OSTI ID:1851883

High-flux plasma exposure of ultra-fine grain tungsten

Journal Article · Thu May 12 00:00:00 EDT 2016 · International Journal of Refractory and Hard Metals · OSTI ID:1257802

Recrystallization, cracking, and erosion of dispersoid-strengthened tungsten materials during exposure to divertor plasmas

Citation Formats

References (40)

Similar Records

Related Subjects