Pith. sign in

REVIEW 4 major objections 4 minor 89 references

CuCrZr heat-sink irradiation performance reveals new challenges for thermonuclear fusion reactors

T0 review · 4 major / 4 minor · reviewed 2026-08-01 · deepseek-v4-flash

Pith's one-line read CuCrZr's hardening precipitates dissolve under fusion-relevant irradiation, so the alloy's engineered strength may not survive long service.

desk verdict New in-situ Kr/He data are solid and the paper deserves refereeing; the two-temperature bracketing extrapolation to the service window is a genuine logical gap, but it is a gap in the extrapolation, not in the experiments. read the letter →

arxiv 2607.17594 v1 pith:I5O5HJOY submitted 2026-07-20 cond-mat.mtrl-sci physics.plasm-ph

classification cond-mat.mtrl-sciphysics.plasm-ph
keywords CuCrZrprecipitationhardeningfusionheat-sinkionirradiationtransmutationheliumbubblesradiation-induceddissolutionmaterials
verification ladder T0 review T1 audit T2 compute T3 formal

The pith

A machine-rendered reading of the paper's core claim, the machinery that carries it, and where it could break.

The reading

This paper tries to establish that CuCrZr, the leading heat-sink alloy for fusion reactors, cannot keep its engineered strength under fusion-relevant irradiation. Its strength comes from a dense dispersion of Cr- and Zr-rich nanoprecipitates created by prime-ageing. Using in situ heavy-ion irradiation and helium implantation, plus thermodynamic and transmutation modelling, the authors show that these precipitates dissolve in both kinetic extremes: ballistically at low temperature, and by dissolution with re-precipitation at high temperature. They also find that helium bubbles and krypton-rich voids nucleate once vacancies become mobile, and that five years of neutron transmutation irreversibly shifts the alloy chemistry toward Ni-Zr intermetallics. If correct, the precipitation-hardening strategy on which CuCrZr performance depends is not viable for long fusion service, and new heat-sink alloys will be needed.

What carries the argument

The load-bearing combination is in situ transmission electron microscopy during 600 keV heavy-ion irradiation and helium implantation, which lets the authors watch precipitate dissolution, bubble nucleation, and void formation live; selected-area electron diffraction superlattice reflections track the loss of precipitate order. Thermodynamic equilibrium calculations and transmutation modelling for a deuterium–tritium fusion neutron spectrum predict the chemical drift toward Ni-Zr intermetallics. The two irradiation temperatures bracket the service window, and the diffraction and elemental mapping evidence links the loss of superlattice reflections to the two kinetic regimes.

What would settle it

An in situ ion-irradiation experiment at a service temperature (e.g., 300°C) to about 5 dpa that shows the original Cr- and Zr-rich nanoprecipitate population intact—superlattice reflections still present and precipitate size distributions unchanged—would refute the central claim. Alternatively, re-examination of neutron-irradiated CuCrZr from fission reactors at about 300°C and above 1 dpa, if it retains the prime-aged precipitate dispersion, would undermine the extrapolation.

Watch

Extended reading notes

Core claim

The paper's central claim is that the prime-aged CuCrZr microstructure is doubly unstable: the nano-precipitates that provide strength are metastable with respect to temperature alone, and they are destroyed by displacement damage through two distinct temperature-dependent pathways. At room temperature (about 0.22 of the melting temperature), ballistic mixing in collision cascades dissolves the precipitates; at 650°C (about 0.68 of the melting temperature), thermally activated dissolution is followed by radiation-induced precipitation of a coarser, different precipitate population. Because the fusion service window lies between these extremes, where vacancies are already mobile, the authors

Load-bearing premise

The argument assumes that what happens at room temperature and at 650°C brackets what will happen at the real service temperatures of 200–350°C, so that no in-between temperature exists where the original precipitates survive; and that 600 keV heavy-ion irradiation faithfully emulates fusion-neutron damage despite dose rates orders of magnitude higher.

Editorial extensions

If this is right

  • If CuCrZr's prime-aged precipitate dispersion dissolves under irradiation at both kinetic extremes, the alloy's strength in service will come from radiation-induced defect clusters rather than precipitation hardening, reproducing the low-ductility, high-strength behaviour seen in earlier neutron data.
  • Helium and hydrogen transmutation products, accumulating at roughly 0.06 at.% He and 0.5 at.% H over five years, will nucleate bubbles and voids once vacancies are mobile, promoting embrittlement and swelling.
  • The predicted Ni-Zr intermetallic formation means the alloy's chemistry—and hence its equilibrium precipitate phases—changes irreversibly within a fraction of a reactor's design lifetime, so heat-treatment cannot restore the lost hardening.
  • New copper-based heat-sink alloys will need strengthening mechanisms that do not depend on a metastable precipitate dispersion, and qualification will require tests that combine displacement damage with helium and hydrogen co-implantation at service temperatures.
  • The apparent irradiation hardening reported in earlier CuCrZr neutron studies is reinterpreted as defect-cluster hardening, not retention of the engineered precipitate structure.

Reading between the lines

Editorial extensions of the paper, not claims the author makes directly.

  • The paper's bracketing argument implies a sharp, testable prediction: at intermediate service temperatures around 250–350°C, the precipitate population should still degrade, likely as a mixture of ballistic dissolution and ripening. An ion-irradiation experiment at about 300°C to several dpa would directly test this.
  • The transmutation-driven chemistry shift is a generic phenomenon for any copper-based age-hardenable alloy under a fusion neutron spectrum, not just CuCrZr; alloy designs that reduce nickel production or stabilise zirconium against nickel getters would be worth exploring.
  • The ion-surrogate issue cuts both ways: while dose-rate differences may shift the balance between ballistic mixing and thermal back-diffusion, the fact that both kinetic extremes degrade the precipitates suggests that even a shifted balance still degrades them—but quantitative lifetime predictions require dose-rate-aware modelling, which the paper does not provide.
  • If the three degradation mechanisms are as independent as claimed, then a single mitigation—such as a more thermally stable precipitate—would not suffice: the alloy would still fail by transmutation-driven chemistry drift and gas-driven cavity formation.
Share X Bluesky LinkedIn Reddit HN

Signed reviews

No signed human review yet.

Editorial analysis

A structured set of objections, weighed in public.

Desk editor's note, referee report, and a circularity audit.

Referee Report

4 major / 4 minor

Summary. The paper combines in situ transmission electron microscopy (TEM) under 600 keV Kr2+ irradiation and 6 keV He+ implantation at room temperature and 650 °C, with ex situ STEM-EDX, thermodynamic calculations (FactSage), and transmutation calculations (FISPACT-II), to argue that the prime-aged CuCrZr precipitate dispersion is unstable under fusion-relevant irradiation. The authors report two degradation regimes for the Cr- and Zr-rich hardening precipitates: ballistic dissolution at low temperature and dissolution followed by radiation-induced precipitation at high temperature. They further report temperature-dependent He bubble nucleation and the prediction that five full-power years of fusion-neutron exposure transmutes Cu to Ni, Zn, H, and He, with Ni redirecting Zr into Ni-Zr intermetallics. The central claim is that these mechanisms, acting together, challenge the precipitation-hardening strategy on which CuCrZr heat-sink performance depends.

Significance. If fully established, the conclusion would be important for fusion materials: it would call into question the long-term viability of age-hardenable CuCrZr heat sinks under ITER/DEMO-relevant neutron doses and spectra. The paper has clear strengths: a substantial in situ TEM dataset from the MIAMI-2 facility, a standard SRIM methodology following Stoller et al., quantitative STEM-EDX phase analysis using the open-source ESPM package, and FISPACT-II/FactSage modelling with documented nuclear-data choices. These features make the experimental and modelling chain reproducible in principle. However, the manuscript's most load-bearing inference—that degradation at 0.22 Tm and 0.68 Tm brackets degradation in the 0.46–0.53 Tm service window—is not established by the presented endpoints, and the authors' own dose-rate caveat leaves the neutron extrapolation unquantified. The paper therefore currently supports a more limited claim: the prime-aged precipitate dispersion is destabilised under accelerated ion irradiation at the two temperature extremes, and transmutation changes the equilibrium phase landscape.

major comments (4)
  1. [§4.2] The central inference—'no intermediate temperature window exists in which one mechanism could be suppressed without the other becoming dominant'—does not follow from the two endpoint experiments. At intermediate homologous temperatures (0.46–0.53 Tm) both ballistic dissolution and thermally activated re-precipitation operate simultaneously, and rate-theory models of precipitate stability under irradiation commonly exhibit a steady-state balance between cascade mixing and radiation-enhanced diffusion. The paper provides neither data between RT and 650 °C nor a model that couples ballistic dissolution and thermal back-diffusion as functions of dose rate and temperature. Since the authors state in §5 that 'quantitative transfer of degradation rates to neutron irradiation conditions will require dose-rate-aware modelling', the stronger statement that the prime-aged microstructure is 'unlikel
  2. [§3.4 / Fig. 10A] The quantitative evidence for precipitate dissolution/coarsening is presented in Fig. 10A without error bars, confidence intervals, or stated sample sizes. The reported mean changes (Cr-rich 5.3→4.3 nm; Zr-rich 2.6→3.8 nm at RT; 3.9 nm at 650 °C) could easily overlap given the broad histograms shown, and the 'faded' qualitative appearance of the EDX maps is not a substitute for a statistical comparison. Because the dissolution/coarsening conclusion is load-bearing for the two-kinetic-regime claim, please provide per-condition N, standard deviations or box plots, and a formal comparison (e.g., a two-sample test or effect-size statement) before drawing mechanistic conclusions from these size shifts.
  3. [§3.4 / Conclusion 2] The manuscript explicitly concedes in §3.4 that 'amorphisation of the nano-precipitates cannot also be ruled out,' and this caveat reappears in Conclusion 2. This is not merely a minor qualification: the claimed 'ballistic dissolution' mechanism, and the distinction between the low- and high-temperature regimes, depends on whether the precipitates lose crystallinity and dissolve into the matrix or become amorphous while remaining chemically localised. Loss of superlattice reflections in SAED and fading of EDX signal are consistent with both interpretations. To make the mechanistic claim, the authors should either provide high-resolution TEM/FFT or APT evidence for the precipitate state in the RT-irradiated condition, or soften the mechanistic conclusion to 'loss of the crystalline precipitate dispersion'.
  4. [§4.1 / Table 1] The prediction that transmutation 'irreversibly redirects the alloy chemistry towards Ni-Zr intermetallics' is based on FactSage equilibrium calculations for a homogeneously transmuted bulk composition after five full-power years. As an equilibrium calculation, it indicates the thermodynamically favoured phases, but it does not establish that these intermetallics will actually nucleate within service-relevant times, nor does it account for radiation-induced segregation, ballistic dissolution, or the possibility that Ni remains in solid solution. The word 'irreversibly' is therefore stronger than the calculation supports. Since this is one of the three 'independent mechanisms' in the paper's core argument, the claim should be labelled as a thermodynamic prediction requiring kinetic validation, or supported by precipitation/APT evidence.
minor comments (4)
  1. [§2.10] The notation 'Kr+2' and 'He+' is inconsistent; use 'Kr2+' and 'He+' throughout.
  2. [Fig. 10] The histograms in Fig. 10A use 'Count [a.u.]' on the ordinate; use actual counts or normalised probability densities and specify bin widths.
  3. [§4.2] The service window is stated in terms of homologous temperature (0.46–0.53 Tm) without quoting the corresponding °C values; adding the °C range would help the reader connect to the ITER 200–350 °C and DEMO 450 °C limits cited earlier.
  4. [§2.12] The FISPACT-II calculation is described clearly, but the specific FactSage database/version settings used for the Cu-Cr-Zr-Ni-Zn equilibrium assessment would be useful in the supplementary material for reproducibility.

Circularity Check

0 steps flagged · score 0.0 of 10

No significant circularity: conclusions rest on new in situ measurements and standard modelling; self-citations are non-load-bearing.

full rationale

The paper's derivation chain is not circular. The central observations—loss of precipitate superlattice reflections and shrinking Cr-rich precipitates at RT, coarsening/RIP at 650°C, He-bubble thresholds, Kr-rich voids—are direct in situ TEM/STEM-EDX measurements, not outputs of a fitted model. SRIM dpa conversions follow the standard Stoller/Kinchin-Pease procedure; FISPACT-II and FactSage are externally developed codes with stated inputs (nominal composition, HCPB-FW spectrum, SGTE database). The transmutation prediction of Ni-Zr intermetallics is a thermodynamic calculation on the calculated post-transmutation composition, not a fit to the experimental outcome. The §4.2 bracketing argument (RT and 650°C bound the 0.46–0.53 Tm service window) is an inductive extrapolation and is explicitly hedged by the conclusion that 'quantitative transfer of degradation rates to neutron irradiation conditions will require dose-rate-aware modelling'; it is an evidentiary weakness, not a definitional reduction. Self-citations [48–50,71,72,78,83] are present but non-load-bearing: the ion-surrogate rationale rests on Gilbert et al.'s PKA spectra and Was's discussion, and the Al-alloy/H-embrittlement analogues are corroborative, not premises. No fitted parameter is renamed as a prediction and no equation reduces to its input; therefore no circular step is identified.

Assumptions & free parameters 0 free parameters · 5 assumptions · 0 invented entities

No numbers were fitted to the data; modelling inputs (25 eV displacement threshold, SRIM density 8.9 g/cm3) are standard defaults from the cited literature and do not constitute fitted parameters. The load-bearing assumptions are the ion-for-neutron surrogate, the bracketing-temperature interpolation, and the use of equilibrium/transmutation calculations as a proxy for long service behaviour.

assumptions (5)
  • domain assumption 600 keV Kr2+ ion irradiations generate collision cascades representative of the 14 MeV fusion-neutron PKA spectrum in Cu
    Invoked in §2.10 to justify using heavy-ion irradiation as a surrogate for neutron damage; if unrepresentative, the experimental degradation may be an ion artefact.
  • domain assumption RT and 650°C irradiation bracket the 200–450°C service window, so degradation at both extremes implies degradation in between
    Stated in §4.2 as end-members of a continuous kinetic spectrum; no intermediate-temperature experiment is reported, so the interpolation is assumed.
  • domain assumption FISPACT-II with TENDL-2017 and DECAY-2020 cross-sections correctly predicts the 5-year transmutation inventory under the HCPB-FW spectrum
    Used in §2.12/Table 1 to define the transmuted composition; nuclear data and spectrum choices are taken from the cited UKAEA resources without experimental validation.
  • domain assumption FactSage/SGTE-2020 equilibrium calculations on the transmuted composition predict the phases that would actually form in service
    Used in §4.1 to conclude Ni-Zr intermetallics replace the hardening precipitates; equilibrium may not be reached over service timescales, and the paper provides no experimental confirmation of these phases.
  • domain assumption He implantation at concentrations up to 4.76 at.% can be extrapolated to the 0.06 at.% He predicted after five years
    Section 4.3 explicitly notes the reactor-predicted He lies below both nucleation thresholds; the extrapolation from high implantation rate/concentration to slow service accumulation is assumed, not modelled.

how reviews work

0 comments
Cite this review

Pith. "Pith review of CuCrZr heat-sink irradiation performance reveals new challenges for thermonuclear fusion reactors." pith.science (2026). https://pith.science/paper/I5O5HJOY

@misc{pith2026260717594,
  author       = {Pith},
  title        = {Pith review of: CuCrZr heat-sink irradiation performance reveals new challenges for thermonuclear fusion reactors},
  year         = {2026},
  howpublished = {\url{https://pith.science/paper/I5O5HJOY}},
  note         = {Machine review of arXiv:2607.17594}
}
read the original abstract

Commercial fusion energy requires materials that survive intense neutron bombardment whilst extracting extreme heat loads for conversion to electricity. The CuCrZr alloy, the leading heat-sink material for fusion reactors, derives its strength from a fine dispersion of nano-precipitates formed during prime-ageing heat-treatment. Whether this precipitation-hardening strategy can withstand fusion-relevant irradiation remains untested. Here we show, combining in situ transmission electron microscopy under heavy-ion irradiation and He implantation with thermodynamic and transmutation modelling, that the hardening precipitates dissolve under two opposing kinetic regimes: ballistic dissolution dominates at low temperatures, whilst dissolution and re-precipitation dominate at high temperatures. Although the accelerated dose rates inherent to ion irradiation shift the balance between ballistic mixing and thermal back-diffusion relative to reactor conditions, precipitate degradation at both kinetic extremes indicates that the prime-aged microstructure is unlikely to remain unaltered under prolonged neutron exposure. He bubbles and Kr-rich voids nucleate once vacancies become mobile, and transmutation over five service years irreversibly redirects the alloy chemistry towards Ni-Zr intermetallics. These three independent mechanisms converge to challenge the strategy on which CuCrZr performance depends, suggesting that the long-term performance of age-hardenable Cu-based heat-sink alloys in fusion reactors warrants further assessment. Our findings reveal a new materials challenge for fusion reactor design and commercialisation: the need for new Cu-based heat-sink alloys able to retain engineered strength whilst their chemistry is irreversibly rewritten - thermodynamically and ballistically - by the fusion neutron spectrum.

Figures

Figures reproduced from arXiv: 2607.17594 by the authors.

Figure 1
Figure 1. Mechanical properties, corrosion performance, and transmutation yield of the CuCrZr heat-sink alloy. The data in [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p004_1.png] view at source ↗
Figure 2
Figure 2. Radiation damage calculations for both heavy-ion (Kr, blue) irradiation and light-ion (He, magenta) implantation [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p009_2.png] view at source ↗
Figure 3
Figure 3. Pristine analysis of the CuCrZr PA alloy as received from SCK. [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p011_3.png] view at source ↗
Figures from the paper (8 more)
Figure 4
Figure 4. Figure 4: The microstructure of the CuCrZr PA alloy irradiated by 600 keV Kr ions at room temperature showing BFTEM [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p012_4.png]
Figure 5
Figure 5. Figure 5: The microstructure of the CuCrZr alloy irradiated by 600 keV Kr ions after heating and hold at 650 [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p014_5.png]
Figure 6
Figure 6. Figure 6: The microstructure of the CuCrZr PA alloy with implanted He at room temperature at an average concentration of [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p015_6.png]
Figure 7
Figure 7. Figure 7: The microstructure of CuCrZr alloy with implanted He at 650 [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p016_7.png]
Figure 8
Figure 8. Figure 8: In situ TEM imaging (BFTEM underfocused mode) during 6 keV He+ implantation at 650 °C reveals coalescence a the growth mechanism of He bubbles in the CuCrZr alloy with high He concentrations. The implantation behaviour at 650 °C is markedly different from the low-tempe…
Figure 9
Figure 9. Figure 9: A set of BF-STEM and STEM-EDX maps showing the thermodynamic state evolution of the CuCrZr PA alloy micro [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p018_9.png]
Figure 10
Figure 10. Figure 10: Quantification of changes in the PA heat-treatment state as a result of both heavy-ion irradiations and light-ion [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p019_10.png]
Figure 11
Figure 11. Figure 11: Thermodynamic and transmutation calculations performed with FactSage and FISPACT-II. [PITH_FULL_IMAGE:figures/full_fig_p021_11.png]

Discussion (0). Continue with ORCID to comment.

Reference graph

Works this paper leans on

89 extracted references · 54 canonical work pages

  1. [1]

    El-Atwani, J

    O. El-Atwani, J. Hinks, G. Greaves, S. Gonderman, T . Qiu, M. Efe, J. P . Allain, In-situ TEM observation of the response of ultrafine-and nanocrystalline-grained tungsten to extreme irradiation environ- ments, Scientific reports 4 (1) (2014) 4716.doi:10.1038/srep04716

  2. [2]

    El-Atwani, S

    O. El-Atwani, S. Gonderman, M. Efe, G. De Temmerman, T . Morgan, K. Bystrov, D. Klenosky, T . Qiu, J. Allain, Ultrafine tungsten as a plasma-facing component in fusion devices: effect of high flux, high fluence low energy helium irradiation, Nuclear Fusion 54 (8) (2014) 083013.doi:10.1088/0029- 5515/54/8/083013

  3. [3]

    X. Yi, M. L. Jenkins, K. Hattar, P . D. Edmondson, S. G. Roberts, Characterisation of radiation damage in W and W-based alloys from 2 MeV self-ion near-bulk implantations, Acta Materialia 92 (2015) 163–177.doi:10.1016/j.actamat.2015.04.015

  4. [4]

    X. Yi, M. L. Jenkins, M. A. Kirk, Z. Zhou, S. G. Roberts, In-situ TEM studies of 150 keV W+ ion irradiated W and W-alloys: Damage production and microstructural evolution, Acta Materialia 112 (2016) 105–120.doi:10.1016/j.actamat.2016.03.051

  5. [5]

    X. Yi, K. Arakawa, D. Nguyen-Manh, F . Ferroni, P . Liu, W. Han, F . Wan, S. G. Roberts, A study of helium bubble production in 10 keV He+ irradiated tungsten, Fusion Engineering and Design 125 (2017) 454–457.doi:10.1016/j.fusengdes.2017.04.126

  6. [6]

    X. Yi, M. Jenkins, M. Briceno, S. Roberts, Z. Zhou, M. Kirk, In situ study of self-ion irradiation damage in W and W–5Re at 500 C, Philosophical Magazine 93 (14) (2013) 1715–1738.doi:10.1080/1478 6435.2012.754110. 28

  7. [7]

    X. Yi, K. Arakawa, F . Ferroni, M. L. Jenkins, W. Han, P . Liu, F . Wan, High-temperature damage evolution in 10 keV He+ irradiated W and W-5Re, Materials Characterization 145 (2018) 77–86.doi:10.101 6/j.matchar.2018.08.026

  8. [8]

    X. Yi, K. Arakawa, Y . Du, F . Ferroni, W. Han, P . Liu, F . Wan, High-temperature defect recovery in self- ion irradiated W-5 wt% Ta, Nuclear Materials and Energy 18 (2019) 93–98.doi:10.1016/j.nme. 2018.12.014

Show all 89 references
  1. [9]

    El Atwani, K

    O. El Atwani, K. Unal, W. S. Cunningham, S. Fensin, J. Hinks, G. Greaves, S. Maloy, In-situ helium implantation and TEM investigation of radiation tolerance to helium bubble damage in equiaxed nanocrystalline tungsten and ultrafine tungsten-TiC alloy, Materials 13 (3) (2020) 79...

  2. [10]

    El-Atwani, N

    O. El-Atwani, N. Li, M. Li, A. Devaraj, J. Baldwin, M. M. Schneider, D. Sobieraj, J. S. Wróbel, D. Nguyen- Manh, S. A. Maloy, et al., Outstanding radiation resistance of tungsten-based high-entropy alloys, Science advances 5 (3) (2019) eaav2002.doi:10.1126/sciadv.aav2002

  3. [11]

    El-Atwani, A

    O. El-Atwani, A. Alvarado, K. Unal, S. Fensin, J. Hinks, G. Greaves, J. Baldwin, S. Maloy, E. Martinez, Helium implantation damage resistance in nanocrystalline W-Ta-V-Cr high entropy alloys, Materials Today Energy 19 (2021) 100599.doi:10.1016/j.mtener.2020.100599

  4. [12]

    El Atwani, H

    O. El Atwani, H. Vo, M. Tunes, C. Lee, A. Alvarado, N. Krienke, J. Poplawsky, A. Kohnert, J. Gigax, W. Chen, M. Li, Y . Wang, J. Wrobel, D. Nguyen-Manh, J. Balwin, Q. Tukac, E. Aydogan, S. Fensin, M. J. Martinez, A quinary WTaCrVHf nanocrystalline refractory high-entropy alloy...

  5. [13]

    Bochvar, Cr-Cu-Zr (chromium-copper-zirconium), Non-Ferrous Metal Systems 2 (2007) 228–242

    N. Bochvar, Cr-Cu-Zr (chromium-copper-zirconium), Non-Ferrous Metal Systems 2 (2007) 228–242. doi:10.1016/b978-0-408-70932-3.50357-0

  6. [14]

    Edwards, B

    D. Edwards, B. N. Singh, S. Tähtinen, Effect of heat treatments on precipitate microstructure and mechanical properties of a CuCrZr alloy, Journal of Nuclear Materials 367 (2007) 904–909.doi: 10.1016/j.jnucmat.2007.03.064

  7. [15]

    Engel, J

    S. Engel, J. Q. da Fonseca, P . Shanthraj, Modelling the thermal strength degradation of CuCrZr for use in plasma facing components, Journal of Nuclear Materials (2025) 155985doi:10.1016/j. jnucmat.2025.155985

  8. [16]

    Fabritsiev, A

    S. Fabritsiev, A. Pokrovsky, Effect of high doses of neutron irradiation on physico-mechanical prop- erties of copper alloys for ITER applications, Fusion engineering and design 73 (1) (2005) 19–34. doi:10.1016/j.fusengdes.2004.12.003

  9. [17]

    Fabritsiev, A

    S. Fabritsiev, A. Pokrovsky, Effect of irradiation temperature on microstructure, radiation hardening and embrittlement of pure copper and copper-based alloy, Journal of Nuclear Materials 367 (2007) 977–983.doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2007.03.056. 29

  10. [18]

    L. Gong, Y . Huang, Z. Han, S. Song, H. Feng, Z. Chen, X. Liu, W. Huang, Texture evolution and strengthening mechanism of CuCrZr alloys during cold rolling, Vacuum 221 (2024) 112908.doi: 10.1016/j.vacuum.2023.112908

  11. [19]

    Huang, J

    Y .-J. Huang, J. Yu, H. Kurotaki, M. Nakajima, T . Nozawa, Corrosion and stress corrosion behavior of CuCrZr alloy in high temperature pure water environment relevant to Japan’s DEMO divertor, Fusion Engineering and Design 202 (2024) 114364.doi:10.1016/j.fusengdes.2024.114364

  12. [20]

    Kalinin, A

    G. Kalinin, A. Ivanov, A. Obushev, B. Rodchenkov, M. Rodin, Y . Strebkov, Ageing effect on the prop- erties of CuCrZr alloy used for the ITER HHF components, Journal of Nuclear Materials 367 (2007) 920–924.doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2007.03.256

  13. [21]

    C. Kwok, P . Wong, H. C. Man, F . Cheng, Effect of pH on corrosion behavior of CuCrZr in solution without and with NaCl, Journal of Nuclear materials 394 (1) (2009) 52–62.doi:10.1016/j.jn ucmat.2009.08.006

  14. [22]

    Obitz, J

    C. Obitz, J. Öijerholm, S. Wikman, E. Bratu, Erosion corrosion of CuCrZr specimens exposed for simulated ITER operational conditions, Nuclear Materials and Energy 9 (2016) 261–266.doi: 10.1016/j.nme.2016.05.001

  15. [23]

    Park, Y .-I

    J.-Y . Park, Y .-I. Jung, B.-K. Choi, J.-S. Lee, Y . H. Jeong, B. G. Hong, Investigation on the microstruc- ture and mechanical properties of CuCrZr after manufacturing thermal cycle for plasma facing com- ponent, Journal of Nuclear Materials 417 (1-3) (2011) 916–919.doi:10.10...

  16. [24]

    Hirai, S

    T . Hirai, S. Panayotis, V . Barabash, C. Amzallag, F . Escourbiac, A. Durocher, M. Merola, J. Linke, T . Loewenhoff, G. Pintsuk, et al., Use of tungsten material for the ITER divertor, Nuclear Materials and Energy 9 (2016) 616–622.doi:10.1016/j.nme.2016.07.003

  17. [25]

    rep., EUROfusion, accessed: 2025-08-19 (2018).doi:10.3030/633053

    EUROfusion Consortium, European Research Roadmap to the Realisation of Fusion Energy, Tech. rep., EUROfusion, accessed: 2025-08-19 (2018).doi:10.3030/633053. URLhttps://euro-fusion.org/wp-content/uploads/2022/10/2018_Research_roadma p_long_version_01.pdf

  18. [26]

    rep., Henry Royce Institute, interactive PDF; hosted on Royce Institute website (2021).doi:10.1007/978-3-662-62102-8_10

    UKAEA, UK Fusion Materials Roadmap 2021–2040, Tech. rep., Henry Royce Institute, interactive PDF; hosted on Royce Institute website (2021).doi:10.1007/978-3-662-62102-8_10. URLhttps://www.royce.ac.uk/wp-content/uploads/2024/11/UK_Fusion_Materials_ Roadmap_Interactive.pdf

  19. [27]

    Tejado, A

    E. Tejado, A. Müller, J. You, J. Pastor, Evolution of mechanical performance with temperature of w/cu and w/cucrzr composites for fusion heat sink applications, Materials Science and Engineering: A 712 (2018) 738–746.doi:10.1016/j.msea.2017.12.054

  20. [28]

    Terentyev, M

    D. Terentyev, M. Rieth, G. Pintsuk, A. Von Müller, S. Antusch, A. Zinovev, A. Bakaev, K. Poleshchuk, G. Aiello, Effect of neutron irradiation on tensile properties of advanced cu-based alloys and 30 composites developed for fusion applications, Journal of Nuclear Materials 584...

  21. [29]

    Y .-Y . Chen, Z. Liu, S. R. Meka, Y . Huang, Z.-M. Wang, Effect of interface structure on advanced bonding between tungsten-based materials and cu alloys: a review, Tungsten 7 (3) (2025) 479– 496.doi:10.1007/s42864-024-00313-w

  22. [30]

    M. R. Gilbert, J.-C. Sublet, R. A. Forrest, Handbook of activation, transmutation, and radiation dam- age properties of the elements simulated using FISPACT -II & TENDL-2014; Magnetic Fusion Plants, Culham Centre for Fusion Energy, 2015.doi:10.13182/physor22-37308

  23. [31]

    Hirai, V

    T . Hirai, V . Barabash, F . Escourbiac, A. Durocher, L. Ferrand, V . Komarov, M. Merola, ITER divertor materials and manufacturing challenges, Fusion Engineering and Design 125 (2017) 250–255.doi: 10.1016/j.fusengdes.2017.07.009

  24. [32]

    Björkbacka, S

    Å. Björkbacka, S. Hosseinpour, M. Johnson, C. Leygraf, M. Jonsson, Radiation induced corrosion of copper for spent nuclear fuel storage, Radiation Physics and Chemistry 92 (2013) 80–86.doi: 10.1016/j.radphyschem.2013.06.033

  25. [33]

    S. S. Raiman, G. S. Was, Accelerated corrosion and oxide dissolution in 316L stainless steel ir- radiated in situ in high temperature water, Journal of Nuclear Materials 493 (2017) 207–218. doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2017.05.043

  26. [34]

    Liu, G.-H

    H. Liu, G.-H. Lei, H.-F . Huang, Review on synergistic damage effect of irradiation and corrosion on reactor structural alloys, Nuclear Science and Techniques 35 (3) (2024) 57.doi:10.1007/s413 65-024-01415-3

  27. [35]

    M. A. Tunes, P . J. Uggowitzer, P . Dumitraschkewitz, P . Willenshofer, S. Samberger, F . C. da Silva, C. G. Schön, T . M. Kremmer, H. Antrekowitsch, M. B. Djukic, et al., Limitations of hydrogen detection after 150 years of research on hydrogen embrittlement, Advanced Enginee...

  28. [36]

    Reali, M

    L. Reali, M. R. Gilbert, D. Cereceda, K. C. Pitike, S. L. Dudarev, P . Edmondson, S. Kajita, J.-M. Kwon, B. Lee, J. Marian, D. R. Mason, S. T . Murphy, D. Nguyen-Manh, T . Oda, P . Olsson, W. Setyawan, S. O. V . Tiedemann, C. Wang, Y . Wang, A. R. Warwick, J. S. Wróbel, H.-B. ...

  29. [37]

    Z. Y . Zhang, L. X. Sun, N. R. Tao, Nanostructures and nanoprecipitates induce high strength and high electrical conductivity in a cucrzr alloy, Journal of Materials Science & Technology 48 (2020) 18–22.doi:10.1016/J.JMST.2019.12.022

  30. [38]

    H. Yang, K. Li, Y . Bu, J. Wu, Y . Fang, L. Meng, J. Liu, H. Wang, Nanoprecipitates induced dislocation pinning and multiplication strategy for designing high strength, plasticity and conductivity cu alloys, Scripta Materialia 195 (2021) 113741.doi:10.1016/j.scriptmat.2021.113741. 31

  31. [39]

    S. Xu, H. Fu, Y . Wang, J. Xie, Effect of ag addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of cu-cr alloy, Materials Science and Engineering: A 726 (2018) 208–214.doi:10.1016/j.msea .2018.04.077

  32. [40]

    Y . D. Wang, L. H. Wu, P . Xue, H. Zhang, D. R. Ni, Z. Y . Ma, Improved strength with good conductivity in cu–cr–zr alloys: Determinant effect of under-aging treatment before rolling and aging, Materials Science and Engineering: A 848 (2022) 143395.doi:10.1016/j.msea.2022.143395

  33. [41]

    J. Hu, Y . Tian, H. Yu, G. Ling, S. Li, M. Jiang, H. Li, G. Qin, Optimizing strength and electrical conductivity of cu-cr-zr alloy by two-stage aging treatment, Materials Letters 315 (2022) 131937. doi:10.1016/j.matlet.2022.131937

  34. [42]

    Liang, D

    X. Liang, D. Liu, Z. Shen, N. Tao, Enhanced precipitation hardening in nanograined cucrzr alloy, Scripta Materialia 247 (2024) 116118.doi:10.1016/j.scriptamat.2024.116118

  35. [43]

    Zhang, P

    B. Zhang, P . Xu, J. Wang, Z. Hong, W. Wang, F . Dai, Overcoming the trade-off between conductivity and strength in copper alloys through undercooling, Nature Communications 16 (1) (2025) 4978. doi:10.1038/s41467-025-60346-8

  36. [44]

    Teurtrie, N

    A. Teurtrie, N. Perraudin, T . Holvoet, H. Chen, D. T . Alexander, G. Obozinski, C. Hébert, espm: A python library for the simulation of stem-edxs datasets, Ultramicroscopy 249 (2023) 113719.doi: 10.1016/j.ultramic.2023.113719

  37. [45]

    J. F . Ziegler, M. D. Ziegler, J. P . Biersack, SRIM–The stopping and range of ions in matter (2010), Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section B: Beam Interactions with Materials and Atoms 268 (11-12) (2010) 1818–1823.doi:10.1016/j.nimb.2010.02.091

  38. [46]

    Greaves, A

    G. Greaves, A. Mir, R. Harrison, M. Tunes, S. Donnelly, J. Hinks, New microscope and ion accel- erators for materials investigations (MIAMI-2) system at the University of Huddersfield, Nuclear Instruments and Methods in Physics Research Section A: Accelerators, Spectrometers, D...

  39. [47]

    G. S. Was, Challenges to the use of ion irradiation for emulating reactor irradiation, Journal of Ma- terials Research (2015).doi:10.1557/jmr.2015.73

  40. [48]

    M. A. Tunes, R. W. Harrison, S. E. Donnelly, P . D. Edmondson, A transmission electron microscopy study of the neutron-irradiation response of ti-based max phases at high temperatures, Acta Mater- ialia 169 (2019) 237–247.doi:10.1016/j.actamat.2019.02.046. URLhttps://linkinghu...

  41. [49]

    M. A. Tunes, Transmission electron microscopy study of radiation damage in potential nuclear ma- terials, Ph.D. thesis, University of Huddersfield (2020).doi:10.1201/9781420034646.ch1

  42. [50]

    M. A. Tunes, S. M. Drewry, J. D. Arregui-Mena, S. Picak, G. Greaves, L. B. Cattini, S. Pogatscher, J. A. Valdez, S. Fensin, O. El-Atwani, et al., Accelerated radiation tolerance testing of Ti-based MAX phases, Materials Today Energy 30 (2022) 101186.doi:10.2139/ssrn.4117114. 32

  43. [51]

    R. E. Stoller, M. B. Toloczko, G. S. Was, A. G. Certain, S. Dwaraknath, F . A. Garner, On the use of SRIM for computing radiation damage exposure, Nuclear instruments and methods in physics research section B: beam interactions with materials and atoms 310 (2013) 75–80.doi:10....

  44. [52]

    C. W. Bale, P . Chartrand, S. Degterov, G. Eriksson, K. Hack, R. B. Mahfoud, J. Melançon, A. Pelton, S. Petersen, FactSage thermochemical software and databases, Calphad 26 (2) (2002) 189–228. doi:10.1016/s0364-5916(02)00035-4

  45. [53]

    C. W. Bale, E. Bélisle, P . Chartrand, S. Decterov, G. Eriksson, K. Hack, I.-H. Jung, Y .-B. Kang, J. Melançon, A. Pelton, et al., FactSage thermochemical software and databases—recent devel- opments, Calphad 33 (2) (2009) 295–311.doi:10.1016/j.calphad.2008.09.009

  46. [54]

    Sublet, J

    J.-C. Sublet, J. Eastwood, J. Morgan, M. Gilbert, M. Fleming, W. Arter, Fispact-ii: an advanced simu- lation system for activation, transmutation and material modelling, Nuclear Data Sheets 139 (2017) 77–137.doi:10.1016/j.nds.2017.01.002

  47. [55]

    org/fispact/nuclear_data, accessed: 2025-12-12 (2026)

    UKAEA Atomic Energy Authority, NEA GitLab: FISPACT Nuclear Data,https://git.oecd-nea. org/fispact/nuclear_data, accessed: 2025-12-12 (2026)

  48. [56]

    UKAEA, FISPACT -II Wiki: Probability Table Self-Shielding,https://fispact.ukaea.uk/wiki/ Probability_table_self-shielding, accessed: 2026-05-12 (2026)

  49. [57]

    UKAEA, FISPACT -II Wiki: Reference Input Spectra,https://fispact.ukaea.uk/wiki/Refere nce_input_spectra#HCPB-FW, accessed: 2025-12-12 (2026)

  50. [58]

    J. W. Cahn, The impurity-drag effect in grain boundary motion, Acta Metallurgica 10 (9) (1962) 789– 798.doi:10.1016/0001-6160(62)90092-5

  51. [59]

    X. Chen, F . Jiang, J. Jiang, P . Xu, M. Tong, Z. Tang, Precipitation, recrystallization, and evolution of annealing twins in a Cu-Cr-Zr alloy, Metals 8 (4) (2018) 227.doi:10.3390/met8040227

  52. [60]

    C. S. Pande, M. A. Imam, B. B. Rath, Study of annealing twins in FCC metals and alloys, Metallurgical Transactions A 21 (1990) 2891–2896.doi:10.1007/BF02647209

  53. [61]

    Bozzolo, M

    N. Bozzolo, M. Bernacki, Viewpoint on the formation and evolution of annealing twins during ther- momechanical processing of FCC metals and alloys, Metallurgical and Materials Transactions A 51 (2020) 2665–2684.doi:10.1007/s11661-020-05772-7

  54. [62]

    J. A. Brinkman, On the nature of radiation damage in metals, Journal of Applied Physics 25 (1954) 961–970.doi:10.1063/1.1721810

  55. [63]

    T . M. Fry, The displacement of atoms in solids by radiation, Il Nuovo Cimento Series 10 4 (1956) 1329–1334.doi:10.1007/BF02744350. 33

  56. [64]

    Silcox, P

    J. Silcox, P . B. Hirsch, Dislocation loops in neutron-irradiated copper, Philosophical Magazine 4 (1959) 1356–1374.doi:10.1080/14786435908233371. URLhttp://www.tandfonline.com/doi/abs/10.1080/14786435908233371

  57. [65]

    J. B. Gibson, A. N. Goland, M. Milgram, G. H. Vineyard, Dynamics of radiation damage, Physical Review 120 (1960) 1229–1253.doi:10.1103/PhysRev.120.1229

  58. [66]

    C. A. English, B. L. Eyre, M. L. Jenkins, Heavy-ion damage inα-fe, Nature 263 (1976) 400–401. doi:10.1038/263400a0

  59. [67]

    Nordlund, R

    K. Nordlund, R. S. Averback, Point defect movement and annealing in collision cascades, Physical Review B 56 (1997) 2421–2431.doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.56.2421

  60. [68]

    Nordlund, M

    K. Nordlund, M. Ghaly, R. S. Averback, M. Caturla, T . D. de la Rubia, J. Tarus, Defect production in collision cascades in elemental semiconductors and fcc metals, Physical Review B 57 (1998) 7556–7570.doi:10.1103/PhysRevB.57.7556

  61. [69]

    Greaves, J

    G. Greaves, J. a. Hinks, P . Busby, N. J. Mellors, a. Ilinov, a. Kuronen, K. Nordlund, S. E. Donnelly, Enhanced sputtering yields from single-ion impacts on gold nanorods, Physical Review Letters 111 (2013) 1–5.doi:10.1103/PhysRevLett.111.065504

  62. [70]

    Lohmann, A

    W. Lohmann, A. Ribbens, W. F . Sommer, B. N. Singh, Microstructure and mechanical properties of medium energy (600-800 mev) proton irradiated commercial aluminium alloys, Radiation Effects 101 (1987) 283–299.doi:10.1080/00337578708224754

  63. [71]

    M. A. Tunes, L. Stemper, G. Greaves, P . J. Uggowitzer, S. Pogatscher, Prototypic Lightweight Alloy Design for Stellar-Radiation Environments, Advanced science 7 (22) (2020) 2002397.doi:10.1 002/advs.202002397

  64. [72]

    P . D. Willenshofer, M. A. Tunes, H. T . Vo, L. Stemper, M. Alfreider, O. Renk, G. Greaves, D. Kiener, P . J. Uggowitzer, S. Pogatscher, Radiation-resistant aluminum alloy for space missions in the extreme environment of the solar system, Advanced Materials 38 (4 2026).doi:10....

  65. [73]

    Trinkaus, B

    H. Trinkaus, B. Singh, Helium accumulation in metals during irradiation – where do we stand?, Journal of Nuclear Materials 323 (2003) 229–242.doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2003.09.001

  66. [74]

    M. Li, Q. Hou, J. Cui, M. Qiu, Atomistic modeling of helium bubble network formation in copper, Journal of Nuclear Materials 588 (2024) 154792.doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2023.154792

  67. [75]

    González, R

    C. González, R. Iglesias, Migration mechanisms of helium in copper and tungsten, Journal of Ma- terials Science 49 (23) (2014) 8127–8139.doi:10.1007/s10853-014-8522-7

  68. [76]

    Hughes, T

    J. Hughes, T . Toyama, M. Gorley, E. Jimenez-Melero, Full-stage precipitation during aging of cu- 0.55cr-0.07zr alloy for high heat flux fusion reactor technology, Journal of Materials Research and Technology 20 (2022) 801–810.doi:https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jmrt.2022.07.113. 34

  69. [77]

    P . J. Maziasz, Effects of helium content of microstructural development in type 316 stainless steel under neutron irradiation, Tech. Rep. ORNL-6121, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, Oak Ridge, TN, USA (11 1985).doi:10.2172/6441891. URLhttps://www.osti.gov/biblio/6441891

  70. [78]

    M. A. Tunes, The legacy and future of aluminum alloys: Space exploration and extraterrestrial set- tlement, ACS Materials Au 6 (1) (2026) 1–27.doi:10.1021/acsmaterialsau.5c00139

  71. [79]

    Ullmaier, Helium in fusion materials: High temperature embrittlement, Journal of Nuclear Mater- ials 133-134 (1985) 100–104.doi:10.1016/0022-3115(85)90118-7

    H. Ullmaier, Helium in fusion materials: High temperature embrittlement, Journal of Nuclear Mater- ials 133-134 (1985) 100–104.doi:10.1016/0022-3115(85)90118-7

  72. [80]

    Marian, T

    J. Marian, T . Hoang, M. Fluss, L. L. Hsiung, A review of helium–hydrogen synergistic effects in radi- ation damage observed in fusion energy steels and an interaction model to guide future understand- ing, Journal of Nuclear Materials 462 (2015) 409–421.doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat....

  73. [81]

    M. Dias, N. Catarino, D. Nunes, E. Fortunato, I. Nogueira, M. Rosinki, J. B. Correia, P . A. Carvalho, E. Alves, Helium and deuterium irradiation effects in w-ta composites produced by pulse plasma compaction, Journal of Nuclear Materials 492 (2017) 105–112.doi:10.1016/j.jnucm...

  74. [82]

    Zhang, X

    X. Zhang, X. Ma, X. Zhang, J. Zhang, Q. Yan, Precipitate evolution and irradiation resistance of CuCrZr(Y) alloys under triple-ion irradiation at 450°C, Journal of Nuclear Materials 627 (2026) 156609.doi:10.1016/j.jnucmat.2026.156609

  75. [83]

    Borges, R

    D. Borges, R. Silva, I. Carneiro, N. Morais, R. Sommer, N. C. Huaman, P . Uggowitzer, E. Kozeschnik, M. Djukic, P . Fichtner, C. Schön, M. Tunes, Low-energy proton implantation reveals the incipience of hydrogen embrittlement in a martensitic steel, Scripta Materialia 277 (202...

  76. [84]

    M. B. Djukic, G. M. Bakic, V . S. Zeravcic, A. Sedmak, B. Rajicic, Hydrogen embrittlement of industrial components: prediction, prevention, and models, Corrosion 72 (7) (2016) 943–961.doi:10.500 6/1958

  77. [85]

    M. B. Djukic, V . Sijacki Zeravcic, A. Sedmak, B. Rajicic, Hydrogen damage of steels: A case study and hydrogen embrittlement model, Engineering Failure Analysis 58 (2015).doi:10.1016/j.en gfeilanal.2015.05.017

  78. [86]

    M. B. Djukic, G. M. Bakic, V . S. Zeravcic, A. Sedmak, B. Rajicic, The synergistic action and interplay of hydrogen embrittlement mechanisms in steels and iron: Localized plasticity and decohesion, Engineering Fracture Mechanics 216 (2019) 106528.doi:10.1016/j.engfracmech.2019.106 528

  79. [87]

    Koyama, M

    M. Koyama, M. Rohwerder, C. C. Tasan, A. Bashir, E. Akiyama, K. Takai, D. Raabe, K. Tsuzaki, Recent progress in microstructural hydrogen mapping in steels: quantification, kinetic analysis, and multi- scale characterisation, Materials Science and Technology 33 (13) (2017) 1481–...

  80. [88]

    W. R. Wampler, T . Schober, B. Lengeler, Precipitation and trapping of hydrogen in copper, The Philo- sophical Magazine: A Journal of Theoretical Experimental and Applied Physics 34 (1) (1976) 129– 141.doi:10.1080/14786437608228179

  81. [89]

    T . G. Nieh, W. D. Nix, The formation of water vapor bubbles in copper and their effect on intergranular creep fracture, Acta Metallurgica 28 (5) (1980) 557–566.doi:10.1016/0001-6160(80)90122- 4. 36

Pith tools

Reviewed August 1, 2026 · model on record in the stance chip above.