ISIS Neutron and Muon Source Data Journal

Small Angle Neutron Scattering investigation of ageing in CuCrZr alloy for fusion reactor technology

Abstract: Within the framework of the EUROfusion Programme, small-scale W/CuCrZr monoblocks are being investigated as prototype divertor components designed to withstand plasma instabilities and disruptions in fusion reactors. Since precipitate formation strongly affects the mechanical performance of CuCrZr alloy, its evolution during thermal treatments must be carefully controlled. SANS has recently been employed to study the formation of Cr-rich precipitates in CuCrZr cooling pipes annealed at different temperatures, revealing precipitate growth after ageing at 580 C, with sizes in the 5-50 nm range that increase with annealing temperature. Moreover, preliminary measurements on CuCrZr samples annealed at different ageing times suggest an increase in precipitate density with increasing ageing time. However, its role at different annealing temperatures remains unexplored and warrants further investigation. On the other hand, heating rate is also expected to affect microstructural evolution, the control of which is crucial for assessing the material stability under fusion-relevant conditions. We propose SANS measurements on CuCrZr half-pipe samples annealed at different ageing times and heating rates at fixed temperature. The objective is to determine how these parameters affect precipitate size, density, and distribution, providing key input for optimizing fabrication and heat-treatment conditions to enhance their mechanical strength during operation in fusion reactors.

Principal Investigator: Dr Valentina Nigro
Local Contact: Dr Gregory Smith
Experimenter: Dr Antonino Pietropaolo

DOI: 10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610412

ISIS Experiment Number: RB2610412

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:
Dr Valentina Nigro et al; (2026): Small Angle Neutron Scattering investigation of ageing in CuCrZr alloy for fusion reactor technology, STFC ISIS Neutron and Muon Source, https://doi.org/10.5286/ISIS.E.RB2610412

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