2024/09/11 by Lauren Nuckols, L. Nuckols, M.J. Baldwin +7 · 2 citations
Materials Science · Engineering · #Fusion materials and technologies #Nuclear Materials and Properties #Advanced materials and composites
paper · doi:10.1088/1741-4326/ad7968
Abstract Steady-state deuterium plasma exposures were performed on ultra-high temperature ceramics titanium diboride (TiB 2 ) and zirconium diboride (ZrB 2 ) using the PISCES-RF linear plasma device (LPD) as early screening for first wall, plasma-facing applications. Deuterium plasma exposures were performed using 40 eV ion energies at 240, 525, and 800 °C sample temperatures and 90 eV ion energies at 240 °C sample temperatures to analyze TiB 2 and ZrB 2 surface morphology and chemistry evolution behavior. Post-plasma exposure chemistry characterization of the near surface ( <mml:math xmlns:mml="http://www.w3.org/1998/Math/MathML" overflow="scroll"> <mml:mrow> <mml:mo><</mml:mo> </mml:mrow> </mml:math> 50 nm) region of the samples all show transition metal enrichment, indicating boron preferential erosion. Transition metal to boron fractions vary with plasma exposure temperature under the 40 eV ion energy; metal enrichment is maximized at 800 °C and then minimized at 525 °C. SEM micrographs of all plasma exposed sample surfaces show no significant or noticeable plasma induced damage from cracking or blistering.