An Integrated Approach to Fusion Material Research at SCK·CEN

Abstract

For the last 20 years, fusion material programs in Europe, Japan and US have been focused on developing Reduced Activation Ferritic/Martensitic (RAFM) steels as prominent structural materials. In the European Union, within the Long Term Programme of EFDA (European Fusion Development Agreement), considerable effort has been spent by several scientific institutions for the characterization and optimization of the European reference RAFM steel (EUROFER97). Within the Belgian Nuclear Centre (SCK·CEN), an integrated approach to the characterization of EUROFER97 is being consistently applied; this includes: neutron irradiations in the BR2 reactor and subsequent characterization of the unirradiated and irradiated mechanical properties (tensile, impact and fracture toughness tests); investigation of environmentally assisted cracking (more specifically, study of the influence of irradiation damage on both EAC and embrittlement in Pb-Li alloys); multiscale modelling of radiation effects and specific effects on Fe-Cr systems, using methods which range from the atomic level (MD – Molecular Dynamics) to the mesoscopic level (KMC – Kinetic Monte Carlo). This paper will provide a general overview of the above mentioned investigations, as well as highlights of the most significant results obtained in the different fields of activity.