Thermomechanical analysis of diffusion-bonded tungsten/EUROFER97 with a vanadium interlayer

Earlier basic investigations revealed that diffusion bonding between tungsten and RAFM-steel at a relatively low temperature using a thin low-activation vanadium interlayer having a CTE between that of the parent materials can significantly reduce the residual stresses and produce defect-free bond interfaces. The joint has a high strength as well as sufficient ductility and toughness especially at the test temperature of about 550 degrees C. To apply this knowledge in fusion power plants, particularly in divertors, an acceptable lifetime of such structural joints is required, since they are exposed to high thermomechanical cyclic loading. To simulate the possible operational conditions of a He-cooled divertor, diffusion-bonded specimens are loaded by thermal cycling in a temperature range between 350 degrees C and 500 degrees C and a constant tensile stress based on the calculation of the internal pressure of the divertor thimble. The aim of this experimental work is to check the resistance of the diffusion-bonded W/EUROFER97 against ratcheting during thermomechanical loading and analyze the evolution of microstructures of the joint especially along the bond interfaces. (C) 2014 Elsevier B.V. All rights reserved.