Nanomechanical property and microstructural changes of tungsten Langmuir probes retrieved from JET with metal walls

JET Contributors

doi:10.1016/j.fusengdes.2025.115319

Nanomechanical property and microstructural changes of tungsten Langmuir probes retrieved from JET with metal walls

JET Contributors

BA4511 Fusion energy

Research output: Contribution to journal › Article › Scientific › peer-review

Abstract

Three tungsten Langmuir probes retrieved from the JET tokamak with the ITER-Like Wall (JET-ILW) from the bulk tungsten Tile 5 have been studied. Nano-indentation, microscopy, ion beam analysis (IBA), and X-ray diffraction were used to assess changes in their mechanical properties, microstructure, and phase composition. Four regions of the probes were studied - the tip and the base, at two sides: front and back. The hardness value of one of the probes (no. 5, Stack B) in the tip area was reduced when compared to the value measured on the base section: 5.4 GPa versus 8.8 GPa, respectively. On the two other probes, the hardness was similar to that of the reference material. At the protrusion of probe 5, the recrystallized zone was observed. The IBA analysis revealed that the probes’ surfaces below the tips were covered by a thin layer of deposit composed primarily of beryllium, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen isotopes, along with smaller amounts of nickel, nitrogen, and helium at some locations. The presence of tungsten carbide W₂C was revealed on the tip of probe 5, in the area where IBA measurements indicated elevated carbon content in the material, demonstrated by analysis of the XRD records.

Original language	English
Article number	115319
Journal	Fusion Engineering and Design
Volume	220
DOIs	https://doi.org/10.1016/j.fusengdes.2025.115319
Publication status	Published - Nov 2025
MoE publication type	A1 Journal article-refereed

Funding

This work has been carried out within the framework of the EUROfusion Consortium, funded by the European Union via the Euratom Research and Training Programme (Grant Agreement No 101052200 — EUROfusion). Views and opinions expressed are however those of the author(s) only and do not necessarily reflect those of the European Union or the European Commission. Neither the European Union nor the European Commission can be held responsible for them. This work has been partially supported by the Ministry of Science and Higher Education of Poland from financial appropriations for science of the year 2024, granted for the implementation of the international co-financed project.

Keywords

IBA
JET-ILW
Langmuir probe
Nanoindentation
Recrystallization
Tungsten

UN SDGs

This output contributes to the following UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs)

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10.1016/j.fusengdes.2025.115319

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title = "Nanomechanical property and microstructural changes of tungsten Langmuir probes retrieved from JET with metal walls",

abstract = "Three tungsten Langmuir probes retrieved from the JET tokamak with the ITER-Like Wall (JET-ILW) from the bulk tungsten Tile 5 have been studied. Nano-indentation, microscopy, ion beam analysis (IBA), and X-ray diffraction were used to assess changes in their mechanical properties, microstructure, and phase composition. Four regions of the probes were studied - the tip and the base, at two sides: front and back. The hardness value of one of the probes (no. 5, Stack B) in the tip area was reduced when compared to the value measured on the base section: 5.4 GPa versus 8.8 GPa, respectively. On the two other probes, the hardness was similar to that of the reference material. At the protrusion of probe 5, the recrystallized zone was observed. The IBA analysis revealed that the probes{\textquoteright} surfaces below the tips were covered by a thin layer of deposit composed primarily of beryllium, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen isotopes, along with smaller amounts of nickel, nitrogen, and helium at some locations. The presence of tungsten carbide W2C was revealed on the tip of probe 5, in the area where IBA measurements indicated elevated carbon content in the material, demonstrated by analysis of the XRD records.",

keywords = "IBA, JET-ILW, Langmuir probe, Nanoindentation, Recrystallization, Tungsten",

author = "E. Fortuna-Zalesna and M. Spychalski and P. Petersson and M. Rubel and A. Widdowson and B. Thomas and D. Moszczy{\'n}ska and P. Wiecinski and Ciupi{\'n}ski and J. Likonen and R. Kerr and \{JET Contributors\}",

year = "2025",

month = nov,

doi = "10.1016/j.fusengdes.2025.115319",

language = "English",

volume = "220",

journal = "Fusion Engineering and Design",

issn = "0920-3796",

publisher = "Elsevier",

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TY - JOUR

T1 - Nanomechanical property and microstructural changes of tungsten Langmuir probes retrieved from JET with metal walls

AU - Fortuna-Zalesna, E.

AU - Spychalski, M.

AU - Petersson, P.

AU - Rubel, M.

AU - Widdowson, A.

AU - Thomas, B.

AU - Moszczyńska, D.

AU - Wiecinski, P.

AU - Ciupiński,

AU - Likonen, J.

AU - Kerr, R.

AU - JET Contributors

PY - 2025/11

Y1 - 2025/11

N2 - Three tungsten Langmuir probes retrieved from the JET tokamak with the ITER-Like Wall (JET-ILW) from the bulk tungsten Tile 5 have been studied. Nano-indentation, microscopy, ion beam analysis (IBA), and X-ray diffraction were used to assess changes in their mechanical properties, microstructure, and phase composition. Four regions of the probes were studied - the tip and the base, at two sides: front and back. The hardness value of one of the probes (no. 5, Stack B) in the tip area was reduced when compared to the value measured on the base section: 5.4 GPa versus 8.8 GPa, respectively. On the two other probes, the hardness was similar to that of the reference material. At the protrusion of probe 5, the recrystallized zone was observed. The IBA analysis revealed that the probes’ surfaces below the tips were covered by a thin layer of deposit composed primarily of beryllium, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen isotopes, along with smaller amounts of nickel, nitrogen, and helium at some locations. The presence of tungsten carbide W2C was revealed on the tip of probe 5, in the area where IBA measurements indicated elevated carbon content in the material, demonstrated by analysis of the XRD records.

AB - Three tungsten Langmuir probes retrieved from the JET tokamak with the ITER-Like Wall (JET-ILW) from the bulk tungsten Tile 5 have been studied. Nano-indentation, microscopy, ion beam analysis (IBA), and X-ray diffraction were used to assess changes in their mechanical properties, microstructure, and phase composition. Four regions of the probes were studied - the tip and the base, at two sides: front and back. The hardness value of one of the probes (no. 5, Stack B) in the tip area was reduced when compared to the value measured on the base section: 5.4 GPa versus 8.8 GPa, respectively. On the two other probes, the hardness was similar to that of the reference material. At the protrusion of probe 5, the recrystallized zone was observed. The IBA analysis revealed that the probes’ surfaces below the tips were covered by a thin layer of deposit composed primarily of beryllium, oxygen, carbon, and hydrogen isotopes, along with smaller amounts of nickel, nitrogen, and helium at some locations. The presence of tungsten carbide W2C was revealed on the tip of probe 5, in the area where IBA measurements indicated elevated carbon content in the material, demonstrated by analysis of the XRD records.

KW - IBA

KW - JET-ILW

KW - Langmuir probe

KW - Nanoindentation

KW - Recrystallization

KW - Tungsten

UR - https://www.scopus.com/pages/publications/105010495496

U2 - 10.1016/j.fusengdes.2025.115319

DO - 10.1016/j.fusengdes.2025.115319

M3 - Article

AN - SCOPUS:105010495496

SN - 0920-3796

VL - 220

JO - Fusion Engineering and Design

JF - Fusion Engineering and Design

M1 - 115319

ER -

Nanomechanical property and microstructural changes of tungsten Langmuir probes retrieved from JET with metal walls

Abstract

Funding

Keywords

UN SDGs

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