Anisotropy in the Mechanical Properties of Potassium and Rhenium Doped Tungsten Alloy Plates for Fusion Reactor Applications

The effects of K-bubble dispersion and 3 wt.% Re addition on the tensile properties and their anisotropy in W were investigated in this work. K-doped W and K-doped W-3%Re showed ~45 and ~65% higher tensile strengths than pure W, respectively. The ultimate tensile strength and its temperature dependence in pure W, K-doped W, and K-doped W-3%Re showed anisotropy. However, the effects of K-bubble dispersion and 3% Re addition on the anisotropic tensile strength were not clearly observed. K-doped W and K-doped W-3%Re showed better deformation abilities than pure W. K-doped W-3%Re showed better tensile properties than pure W under non-irradiation conditions used in this work. Since irradiation hardening is suppressed by adding 3% Re, K-doped W-3%Re is expected to be more advantageous as a plasma facing material in a fusion reactor than pure W and K-doped W.