Pros and cons of nickel- and boron-doping to study helium effects in ferritic/martensitic steels

In the absence of a 14 MeV neutron source, the effect of helium on structural materials for fusion must be simulated using fission reactors. Helium effects in ferritic/martensitic steels have been studied by adding nickel and boron and irradiating in a mixed-spectrum reactor. Although the nickel- and boron-doping techniques have limitations and difficulties to estimate helium effects on the ferritic/martensitic steels, past irradiation experiments using these techniques have demonstrated similar effects on the swelling and Charpy impact properties that are indicative of a helium effect. Although both techniques have disadvantages, it should be possible to plan experiments using the nickel- and boron-doping techniques to develop an understanding of the effects of helium on mechanical properties.