FES Research: Fusion Materials and Internal Components
Creating and maintaining the burning plasma needed for fusion power requires extreme conditions. The materials which make up fusion energy devices need to withstand these extreme conditions for decades. Fusion plasmas (which are often hotter than the core of the sun) will require these materials to handle enormous amounts of heat. Most fusion plasmas will also bombard the materials with extremely high numbers of energetic neutrons.
Scientists are working to develop the materials that can withstand this harsh environment for long periods of time. Every component, from the innermost chamber walls to the outer powerplant structure, requires materials that can endure and function in a specific range of conditions. As an example, the divertor is a component which faces the fusion plasma and must remove both heat and the products of fusion.
To maximize the performance and lifetime of fusion power plants, scientists need to understand how materials change over time when they are exposed to these conditions. The FES program supports development, characterization, and modeling of these materials. In particular, the program focuses on identifying material science challenges for fusion environments and supports capabilities and research to develop solutions to these challenges in a safe and responsible manner.
To support this work, FES is constructing the Material Plasma Exposure eXperiment (MPEX) facility at DOE’s Oak Ridge National Laboratory. It will address gaps in our knowledge about interactions between plasma and materials. With this facility, scientists will be able to expose irradiated samples and study how materials degrade in the fusion nuclear environment.
The Fusion Innovation Research Engine (FIRE) collaboratives are also conducting research on materials and interior components.
Learn more about research supported by the Fusion Energy Sciences program:
