Structural and Phase Stability and Deuterium Sorption Behavior of Be12Ti Titanium Beryllide Under Simulated Ion Irradiation

Plasma-facing components of fusion facilities must withstand a wide range of operating loads. Their structural integrity is strongly affected by plasma particles, including deuterium (D), tritium (T), and helium (He), as well as by 14 MeV neutrons, steady-state heat fluxes, and recurrent intense transient thermal loads. In most current studies, the effects of individual operating factors—such as neutron irradiation, plasma exposure, and thermal loading—are investigated separately, allowing the contribution of each factor to changes in material properties to be evaluated. However, degradation mechanisms arising from the synergistic action of these factors require investigation using more sophisticated experimental methodologies. The present study aims to develop a methodology for the simulation testing of materials intended for fusion applications and at investigating the structural and phase stability of Be12Ti, as well as its deuterium sorption behavior, following high-energy irradiation with 14 MeV D+ ions. Irradiation was performed at ion flux densities of approximately 8.6 × 1014 ions·cm−2·s−1 and 1.06 × 1020 ions·cm−2·s−1. The irradiation-induced target temperatures reached approximately 400K and 1000K, respectively. An intermetallic Be12Ti alloy produced at the Ulba Metallurgical Plant in Kazakhstan was used as the target material. The selection of Be12Ti was motivated by existing fusion reactor concepts that consider this intermetallic compound as a neutron multiplier material, including the Japanese JA DEMO concept.