High heat loading properties of vacuum plasma spray tungsten coatings on reduced activation ferritic/martensitic steel

Abstract High density W coatings on reduced activation ferritic martensitic steel (RAF/M) have been produced by Vacuum Plasma Spraying technique (VPS) and heat flux experiments on them have been carried out to evaluate their possibility as a plasma-facing armor in a fusion device. In addition, quantitative analyses of temperature profile and thermal stress have been carried out using the finite element analysis (FEA) to evaluate its thermal properties. No cracks or exfoliation has been formed by steady state and cyclic heat loading experiments under heat loading at 700 °C of surface temperature. In addition, stress distribution and maximum stress between interface of VPS-W and RAF/M have been obtained by FEA. On the other hand, exfoliation has occurred at interlayer of VPS-W coatings near the interface between VPS-W and RAF/M at 1300 °C of surface temperature by cyclic heat loading.