Development of Nanostructured Tungsten Based Materials Resistant to Recrystallization and/or Radiation Induced Embrittlement

Mitigation of embrittlement caused by recrystallization and radiation is the key issue of tungsten (W) based materials for use in the advanced nuclear system such as fusion reactor applications. In this paper, our nanostructured W materials development performed so far to solve the key issue is reviewed, including new original data. Firstly, the basic concept of mitigation of the embrittlement is shown. The approach to the concept has yielded ultra-fine grained, recrystallized (UFGR) W-(0.25-1.5) mass% TiC compacts containing fine TiC dispersoids (precipitates). The UFGR W-(0.25-1.5)% TiC exhibits favorable as well as unfavorable features from the viewpoints of microstructures and various thermo-mechanical properties including the response to neutron and ion irradiations. Most of the unfavorable features stem from insufficient strengthening of weak random grain boundaries (GBs) in the recrystallized state. The focal point on this study is, therefore, to develop a new microstructural modification method to significantly strengthen the random GBs. The method is designated as GSMM (GB Sliding-based Microstructural Modification) and has lead to the birth of toughened, fine-grained W-1.1% TiC in the recrystallized state (TFGR W-1.1TiC). The TFGRW-1.1TiC exhibits much improved thermo-mechanical properties. The applicability of TFGRW-1.1TiC to the divertor in ITER is discussed.