ISIS Neutron and Muon Source Data Journal

In-situ study of the low-cycle fatigue behaviour of OFHC-Cu with different heat treatments at room and elevated temperatures

Abstract: As the UK advances in fusion energy development, particularly with the European DEMOnstration Fusion Power Plant (DEMO), ensuring the structural integrity of materials in reactor components becoming increasingly important. Oxygen-Free High Conductivity (OFHC) copper, used as an interlayer between tungsten and copper-based alloys, is a key candidate material for heat sinks in the divertor structural components. These materials are exposed to cyclic loading due to the repetitive nature of tokamak operations, making fatigue a significant concern for long-term reliability. The overarching aim of this research is to support the validation of structural integrity codes, such as the Structural Design Criteria for In-vessel Components (SDC-IC) that are derived from the RCC-MRx design code, which are essential for ensuring the safe operation of fusion reactors. To achieve this, we aim to perform in-situ low-cycle fatigue tests on OFHC copper. The behaviour of the material under cyclic fatigue conditions will be evaluated at both room temperature and 400°C, representative of DEMO's operating conditions. Using the neutron diffraction technique, we will measure orthogonal strain components during the fatigue tests. These measurements will be used to validate crystal plasticity models by analyzing the evolution of lattice strain, under low-cycle fatigue conditions. This research will enhance the robustness of structural integrity codes in fusion energy applications.

Principal Investigator: Ms Wan Nur Maisarah Wan Mohammad
Experimenter: Mr Simon McKendrey
Local Contact: Dr Joe Kelleher
Experimenter: Dr Younes Belrhiti
Experimenter: Dr Mahmoud Mostafavi
Experimenter: Dr Nicolò Grilli
Experimenter: Dr Mehdi Mokhtarishirazabad
Experimenter: Mr Jialin Wang

DOI: 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2510262

ISIS Experiment Number: RB2510262

Publisher: STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source

Data format: RAW/Nexus
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Data Citation

The recommended format for citing this dataset in a research publication is as:
[author], [date], [title], [publisher], [doi]

For Example:
Ms Wan Nur Maisarah Wan Mohammad et al; (2025): In-situ study of the low-cycle fatigue behaviour of OFHC-Cu with different heat treatments at room and elevated temperatures, STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, https://doi.org/10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2510262

Data is released under the CC-BY-4.0 license.