Synthetic diamond and tungsten carbide can endure extreme conditions of heat and neutron irradiation. This article explores the use of synthetic diamond alongside tungsten carbide as engineering materials that are ideal for fusion energy.
Image Credit: Element Six
Tungsten Carbide for Neutron Shielding
Fusion reactor wall materials must endure extreme heat, neutron irradiation, and fusion plasma interactions. Studies reveal that tungsten carbide is a remarkably competent neutron shield material with excellent thermomechanical properties. 1 Element Six’s cemented tungsten carbide has been purposely developed for fusion applications, offering effective shielding with decreased activation in high neutron flux environments.
Tungsten carbide for neutron shediling. Image Credit: Element Six
Diamond RF Windows for Electron Cyclotron Heating
Fusion power plants based on magnetic confinement need megawatt-power electron cyclotron heating systems for plasma heating and management of instabilities. Synthetic diamond is the ideal material solution for high-power radio frequency (RF) gyrotron and torus windows due to its low dielectric loss, excellent thermal conductivity, and stable permittivity.
Diamond RF Windows for Electron Cyclotron Heating. Image Credit: Element Six
Diamond Fast Neutron Detectors
Diamond is an outstanding sensor material for fusion plasma diagnostics, such as spectroscopy and neutron counting. Its fast response, radiation hardness, and high gamma ray and temperature insensitivities enable diamond detectors to identify fast neutrons and differentiate them from the background.
Diamond Fast Neutron Detectors. Image Credit: Element Six
Magnetic Field Diagnostics
Magnetic field diagnostics are crucial for tokamaks and alternative fusion devices using magnetic fields. Magnetic sensors need materials that will not overheat from the fusion plasma radiation and will withstand neutron exposure, making diamond magnetometers a perfect candidate.
Element Six's award-winning quantum grade diamonds. Image Credit: Element Six
References and Further Reading
- Humphry-Baker SA., et al. (2019) Shielding Materials in the Compact Spherical Tokamak. Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society A. doi.org/10.1098/rsta.2017.0443.
- Element Six (2012). Element Six Synthetic Diamond Protects CERN Particle Detectors in Recently Announced Higgs boson Experiment Results. [Online] Cision PR Newswire. Available at: https://www.prnewswire.co.uk/news-releases/element-six-synthetic-diamond-protects-cern-particle-detectors-in-recently-announced-higgs-boson-experiment-results-163506746.html (Accessed on 31 October 2023).
- Element Six (2022). Heating Up Neutron Detection with CVD Diamond. [Online] Element Six. Available at: https://e6-prd-cdn-01.azureedge.net/mediacontainer/medialibraries/element6/documents/cividec-case-study_12-07-22.pdf?ext=.pdf (Accessed on 31 October 2023).
This information has been sourced, reviewed and adapted from materials provided by Element Six.
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