Radiation-resistant properties of copper alloys intended for fusion reactor applications

The paper presents the results of studies of copper alloys, conducted in the USSR to support ITER design. The following materials were investigated (precipitation-hardened (PH) alloys Cu-Be, Cu-Cr-Zr, Cu-Cr-Zr-Mg and dispersion-strengthened (DS) alloys Cu-Mo, Cu-Al 2 O 3 (MAGT-0.2 and MAGT-0.05). Materials were irradiated under the following conditions: reactor BOR-60: Ft ~ 10 22 n/cm 2 , T irr = 350–450°C; reactor SM-2: Ft ~ l−5 × 10 21 n/cm 2 , T irr = 100–500°C, where Ft is fluence (flux × time) and T irr is the irradiation temperature. Electrical resistivity, swelling, strength, ductility, fatigue, creep and corrosion in water have been studied. The investigation of the effect of the irradiation temperature on mechanical properties of copper alloys has shown that at low-temperature irradiation (100–200°C) some strengthening and slight change in ductility occur. Irradiation at 350–500°C results in decrease of PH-alloy strength. DS alloys maintain a high level of strength characteristics under all irradiation conditions.