Recent progress of radiation response in nanostructured tungsten for nuclear application

Engineering materials for nuclear reactors exposed to high-dose irradiation breed various radiation damage, leading to performance degradation of materials, which seriously limits the application of materials in the future advanced nuclear reactors. Tungsten-based materials applied in future nuclear reactors have to withstand not only the attack of high-energy neutron and plasma, but also the repeated impact of steady-state or even transient thermal load. Researches in the past decades have proved that tailored nanostructure have advantage in annihilating radiation defects. With the rapid development of nanostructured tungsten, probing radiation application of nanostructured tungsten is of great significance in promoting the development of novel radiation-resistant materials. Herein, the development status of three kinds of nanostructured tungsten namely nanocrystalline, nanofilm and nanoporous tungsten designed for radiation tolerance and the performance enhancement mechanism of diverse nanostructure in irradiation environment is reviewed. Finally, future perspectives and technical challenges are discussed, to inspire more creative designs of novel nanostructured tungsten for radiation tolerance.