Ponente
Descripción
The development of advanced experimental setups capable of simulating the harsh conditions of a fusion reactor is crucial for the future of nuclear materials research. Currently, the scientific community is making significant efforts to understand the complex mechanisms underlying the relationship between irradiation damage, mechanical stress, and high temperature when applied simultaneously. This synergy is expected to influence the evolution of microstructural defects such as dislocation loops, swelling, and chemical segregation. To explore these effects, a versatile experimental device has been designed and implemented at CIEMAT, allowing the simultaneous application of mechanical deformation and high-temperature irradiation for a variety of materials. Initial trials using high-purity Fe specimens, subjected to deformation under Fe ion irradiation at 20 MeV and at temperatures of up to 450°C, have shown distinct microstructural arrangements, particularly at elevated temperatures, with and without applied stress. This setup is also ideal for investigating small-scale specimens, which is especially relevant for ongoing research in the DONES (Demo-Oriented Neutron Source) project.
Given the complexity of studying these phenomena, high-purity Fe was chosen as a model material to minimize pre-existing microstructural features that could affect defect evolution. The results of these experiments will not only enhance our understanding of the potential synergies between deformation, irradiation, and temperature but also provide critical data to support future computational models. These models aim to predict the behavior of materials exposed to such extreme environments, bridging the current gap between real microstructures in advanced structural steels and those that can be simulated using existing computational tools. Ultimately, this research is of great interest to the Nuclear Fusion Community, offering valuable insights for developing materials capable of withstanding the severe conditions expected in future fusion reactors.
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