Copper alloys for high heat flux structure applications
- Oak Ridge National Lab., TN (United States)
The mechanical and physical properties of copper alloys are reviewed and compared with the requirements for high heat flux structural applications in fusion reactors. High heat flux structural materials must possess a combination of high thermal conductivity and high mechanical strength. The three most promising copper alloys at the present time are oxide dispersion-strengthened copper (Cu-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) and two precipitation-hardened copper alloys (Cu-Cr-Zr and Cu-Ni-Be). These three alloys are capable of room temperature yield strengths >400 MPa and thermal conductivities up to 350 W/m-K. All of these alloys require extensive cold working to achieve their optimum strength. Precipitation-hardened copper alloys such Cu-Cr-Zr are susceptible to softening due to precipitate overaging and recrystallization during brazing, whereas the dislocation structure in Cu-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3} remains stabilized during typical high temperature brazing cycles. All three alloys exhibit good resistance to irradiation-induced softening and void swelling at temperatures below 300{degrees}C. The precipitation-strengthened allows typically soften during neutron irradiation at temperatures above about 300{degrees}C and therefore should only be considered for applications operating at temperatures <300{degrees}C. Dispersion-strengthened copper may be used up to temperatures in excess of 500{degrees}C. Based on the available data, dispersion-strengthened copper (Cu-Al{sub 2}O{sub 3}) is considered to be the best candidate for high heat flux structural applications.
- Research Organization:
- Oak Ridge National Lab. (ORNL), Oak Ridge, TN (United States)
- OSTI ID:
- 47760
- Report Number(s):
- DOE/ER-0313/16; ON: DE95003404; TRN: 95:011290
- Resource Relation:
- Other Information: PBD: Sep 1994; Related Information: Is Part Of Fusion materials semiannual progress report for the period ending March 31, 1994; PB: 534 p.
- Country of Publication:
- United States
- Language:
- English
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