Recent progress in blanket materials development in the Broader Approach activities

As a part of the Broader Approach activities, R&D on blanket related materials, reduced-activation ferritic martensitic (RAFM) steels as a structural material, SiCf/SiC composites for flow channel insert in the liquid blanket and/or use as advanced structural material, advanced tritium breeders and neutron multiplier, has been initiated directed at DEMO. As part of the RAFM steel mass production development, a 5 ton heat of RAFM steel (F82H) was procured by Electro Slag Re-melting as the secondary melting method, which was effective in controlling unwanted impurities. An 11 ton heat of EUROFER was also produced. For the SiCf/SiC composite development, NITE- and CVI-SiCf/SiC composites were prepared as reference materials and preliminary mechanical and physical properties were measured. Also compatibility tests between SiC and Pb–17Li have been prepared, related to the He-cooled Li–Pb blanket concept. For the beryllide neutron multiplayer Be–Ti alloy development, large size rods of about 30 mm diameter were fabricated successfully in EU.