Creep Behavior of 8Cr2WVTa Martensitic Steel Designed for Fusion DEMO Reactor

Mechanical response against transmutational helium production, alternatively susceptibility to helium embrittlement, in a nuclear fusion reactor was examined on 8Cr2WVTa martensitic steel, a prominent structural candidate for advanced fusion systems. In order to simulate DEMO (demonstrative) reactor environments, helium was implanted into the material at 823K with concentrations up to 1000appmHe utilizing an α-beam from a cyclotron. Creep rupture properties were subsequently determined at the same temperature and were compared with those of the material without helium. It has been proved that helium caused no meaningful deterioration in terms of both the creep lifetime and rupture elongation. Furthermore, failure occurred completely in a transgranular and ductile manner even after high concentration helium introduction and there was no symptom of grain boundary decohesion which very often arises in helium bearing materials. These facts would mirror preferable resistance of this steel toward helium embrittlement.