A new study published in the Journal of Nuclear Materials will aid the development of materials that can withstand the extreme conditions inside a fusion reactor. The ITER international fusion reactor is currently under construction in France, and it is expected to produce its first plasma in 2025. The materials used to construct ITER's inner wall must be able to withstand high temperatures, intense neutron irradiation, and other extreme conditions.

Tungsten is one of the most promising materials for use in ITER's inner wall. It has a high melting point, a low neutron activation rate, and good thermal conductivity. However, tungsten is also brittle, making it difficult to work with.

In this study, researchers from the DIFFER fusion research center in the Netherlands used tungsten isotope tracers to study how tungsten behaves under fusion reactor conditions. Tungsten isotope tracers are isotopes of tungsten that have a different mass than the most common isotope of tungsten, W-184. By tracking the movement of these tracers, the researchers were able to learn how tungsten is deposited on the inner wall of a fusion reactor and how it is eroded by plasma.

The results of this study will aid the development of materials that can withstand the extreme conditions inside a fusion reactor. This is a critical step in the development of fusion energy, a clean and safe source of energy that has the potential to revolutionize the way we power our world.