Comparative thermal cyclic testing and strength investigation of different Be/Cu joints

One of the main problems for ITER divertor target technology is to provide a reliable joint between Be as armour material and copper alloy heat-sink structure. Such joints are to satisfy numerous requirements. In particular these joints should successfully withstand cyclic hear fluxes and should have good properties after neutron irradiation. To study such a complex problem, several investigation stages were planned in Russia. This paper presents the results of comparative thermal cyclic testing of different Be/Cu candidates. Summarising the thermal cyclic test results and analysing the metallography of those joints it was found that the life-time of all tested joints is limited by rather thick brittle intermetallic layers in the bonding zone caused by relatively long brazing time using heating and cooling down in traditional ohmic furnace. This paper thus presents attempts of using a unique brazing technique with fast e-beam heating. Metallographic investigation as well as X-ray spectrometric analysis of joints produced using the new technique were done. The recent results of testing of Be/Cu joints produced by fast e-beam brazing are discussed and some ideas for the nearest future investigations are presented.