Comprehensive new insights on the potential use of SiC as plasma-facing materials in future fusion reactors

Sizyuk, T.; Brooks, J. N.; Abrams, T.; Hassanein, A.

doi:10.1088/1741-4326/ad58f5

Title: Comprehensive new insights on the potential use of SiC as plasma-facing materials in future fusion reactors

Journal Article · 26 June 2024 · Nuclear Fusion

DOI: https://doi.org/10.1088/1741-4326/ad58f5 · OSTI ID:2377851

; Brooks, J. N.;

;

Abstract The performance of silicon carbide as an alternative plasma facing material (PFM) was studied at various irradiation conditions relevant to ion energies and fluxes of a fusion reactor. This analysis involves detailed modeling of subsurface plasma/material interactions, sputtered particle transport above the surface and redeposition, and related changes in material composition and microstructure induced by steady-state and Edge Localized Mode ion fluxes. Transition of a crystalline SiC surface to semi-crystalline and amorphous phases was analyzed based on advanced modeling of DIII-D tokamak experiments where SiC was irradiated in single- and multiple- L-mode and H-mode discharges. This analysis shows that displacement damage, particle deposition/redeposition, and D accumulation on the SiC divertor surface can lead to significant microstructural changes that result in enhanced sputtering erosion in comparison with the original crystalline material. However, the resulting total net erosion rate for a full-coverage, advanced tokamak, SiC coated divertor may well be acceptably low. Moreover, the C sputtering yield from the evolved SiC surface can be seven times lower than from a pure graphite surface; this would imply significantly reduced tritium co-deposition rates in a D-T tokamak reactor, compared with a pure carbon surface. It was also determined that chemical sputtering of both C and Si should not result in any noticeable effect on the net erosion, for attached plasma regimes. Our results thus show encouraging results overall for use of SiC as a PFM in tokamaks.

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Sponsoring Organization:: USDOE Office of Science (SC), Fusion Energy Sciences (FES)

Grant/Contract Number:: AC02-06CH11357

OSTI ID:: 2377851

Alternate ID(s):: OSTI ID: 2373296; OSTI ID: 2434320; OSTI ID: 2474890

Journal Information:: Nuclear Fusion, Journal Name: Nuclear Fusion Journal Issue: 8 Vol. 64; ISSN 0029-5515

Publisher:: IOP PublishingCopyright Statement

Country of Publication:: IAEA

Language:: English

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