The major increase in discharge duration and plasma energy in a next step DT fusion reactor will give rise to important plasma-material effects that will critically influence its operation, safety and performance. Erosion will increase to a scale of several centimetres from being barely measurable at a micron scale in today's tokamaks. Tritium co-deposited with carbon will strongly affect the operation of machines with carbon plasma facing components. Controlling plasma-wall interactions is critical to achieving high performance in present day tokamaks, and this is likely to continue to be the case in the approach to practical fusion reactors. Recognition of the important consequences of these phenomena stimulated an internationally co-ordinated effort in the field of plasma-surface interactions supporting the Engineering Design Activities of the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor project (ITER), and significant progress has been made in better understanding these issues. The paper reviews the underlying physical processes and the existing experimental database of plasma-material interactions both in tokamaks and laboratory simulation facilities for conditions of direct relevance to next step fusion reactors. Two main topical groups of interaction are considered: (i) erosion/redeposition from plasma sputtering and disruptions, including dust and flake generation and (ii) tritium retention and removal. The use of modelling tools to interpret the experimental results and make projections for conditions expected in future devices is explained. Outstanding technical issues and specific recommendations on potential R&D avenues for their resolution are presented.

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Plasma{material interactions in current tokamaks and their implications for next step fusion reactors

Two-dimensional heterojunctions of transition-metal dichalcogenides have great potential for application in low-power, high-performance and flexible electro-optical devices, such as tunnelling transistors, light-emitting diodes, photodetectors and photovoltaic cells. Although complex heterostructures have been fabricated via the van der Waals stacking of different two-dimensional materials, the in situ fabrication of high-quality lateral heterostructures with multiple junctions remains a challenge. Transition-metal-dichalcogenide lateral heterostructures have been synthesized via single-step, two-step or multi-step growth processes. However, these methods lack the flexibility to control, in situ, the growth of individual domains. In situ synthesis of multi-junction lateral heterostructures does not require multiple exchanges of sources or reactors, a limitation in previous approaches as it exposes the edges to ambient contamination, compromises the homogeneity of domain size in periodic structures, and results in long processing times. Here we report a one-pot synthetic approach, using a single heterogeneous solid source, for the continuous fabrication of lateral multi-junction heterostructures consisting of monolayers of transition-metal dichalcogenides. The sequential formation of heterojunctions is achieved solely by changing the composition of the reactive gas environment in the presence of water vapour. This enables selective control of the water-induced oxidation and volatilization of each transition-metal precursor, as well as its nucleation on the substrate, leading to sequential edge-epitaxy of distinct transition-metal dichalcogenides. Photoluminescence maps confirm the sequential spatial modulation of the bandgap, and atomic-resolution images reveal defect-free lateral connectivity between the different transition-metal-dichalcogenide domains within a single crystal structure. Electrical transport measurements revealed diode-like responses across the junctions. Our new approach offers greater flexibility and control than previous methods for continuous growth of transition-metal-dichalcogenide-based multi-junction lateral heterostructures. These findings could be extended to other families of two-dimensional materials, and establish a foundation for the development of complex and atomically thin in-plane superlattices, devices and integrated circuits.

One-pot growth of two-dimensional lateral heterostructures via sequential edge-epitaxy

Silicon carbide has enjoyed both fundamental study and practical application since the early days of nuclear materials science. In the past decade, with the increased interest in increasing efficiency, solving the real issues of waste disposal, and the constant mission to improve safety of nuclear reactors, silicon carbide has become even more attractive. The purpose of this paper is to discuss recent research that not only strives to understand the remarkable radiation stability of this material, but also the practical application of silicon carbide as waste form and for fission and fusion power applications.

Radiation effects in SiC for nuclear structural applications

Materials challenges for nuclear systems

................................................................................................................................................ iii NOMENCLATURE .................................................................................................................................... ix ACRONYMS ................................................................................................................................................ x

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Engineering Database of Liquid Salt Thermophysical and Thermochemical Properties

The Department of Energy has established the Advanced Gas Reactor Fuel Development and Qualification Program to address the following overall goals: Provide a baseline fuel qualification data set in support of the licensing and operation of the Next Generation Nuclear Plant (NGNP). Gas-reactor fuel performance demonstration and qualification comprise the longest duration research and development (R&D) task for the NGNP feasibility. The baseline fuel form is to be demonstrated and qualified for a peak fuel centerline temperature of 1250°C. Support near-term deployment of an NGNP by reducing market entry risks posed by technical uncertainties associated with fuel production and qualification. Utilize international collaboration mechanisms to extend the value of DOE resources. The Advanced Gas Reactor Fuel Development and Qualification Program consists of five elements: fuel manufacture, fuel and materials irradiations, postirradiation examination (PIE) and safety testing, fuel performance modeling, and fission product transport and source term evaluation. An underlying theme for the fuel development work is the need to develop a more complete fundamental understanding of the relationship between the fuel fabrication process, key fuel properties, the irradiation performance of the fuel, and the release and transport of fission products in the NGNP primary coolant system. Fuel performance modeling and analysis of the fission product behavior in the primary circuit are important aspects of this work. The performance models are considered essential for several reasons, including guidance for the plant designer in establishing the core design and operating limits, and demonstration to the licensing authority that the applicant has a thorough understanding of the in-service behavior of the fuel system. The fission product behavior task will also provide primary source term data needed for licensing. An overview of the program and recent progress will be presented.

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The DOE Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) Fuel Development and Qualification Program

The second Japan/US Program on Irradiation Tests for Fusion Research (JUPITER-II) began on April 1, 2001. Part of the collaborative research centers on studies of the molten salt 2LiF2–BeF2 (also known as Flibe) for fusion applications. Flibe has been proposed as a self-cooled breeder in both magnetic and inertial fusion power plant designs over the last 25 years. The key feasibility issues associated with the use of Flibe are the corrosion of structural material by the molten salt, tritium behavior and control in the molten salt blanket system, and safe handling practices and releases from Flibe during an accidental spill. These issues are all being addressed under the JUPITER-II program at the Idaho National Laboratory in the Safety and Tritium Applied Research (STAR) facility. In this paper, we review the program to date in the area of tritium/deuterium behavior, Flibe mobilization under accident conditions and testing of Be as a redox agent to control corrosion. Future activities planned through the end of the collaboration are also presented.

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JUPITER-II Molten Salt Flibe Research: An Update On Tritium, Mobilization and Redox Chemistry Experiments

JUPITER-II molten salt flibe research : An update on tritium, mobilization and redox chemistry experiments

Collection and analysis of particulate from the DIII-D Tokamak

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David A. Petti

Papers

The DOE Advanced Gas Reactor (AGR) Fuel Development and Qualification Program

JUPITER-II Molten Salt Flibe Research: An Update On Tritium, Mobilization and Redox Chemistry Experiments

JUPITER-II molten salt flibe research : An update on tritium, mobilization and redox chemistry experiments

Collection and analysis of particulate from the DIII-D Tokamak

Advanced Demonstration and Test Reactor Options Study