COST-EFFECTIVE TECHNIQUES FOR DEVELOPMENT OF RADIATION-RESISTANT ORGANIC INSULATORS FOR SUPERCONDUCTING MAGNETS

AN APPROACH TO COMPOSITE MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT IS PLANNED THAT REDUCES SUBSTANTIALLY THE COST OF CONDUCTING STUDIES REQUIRED TO OPTIMIZE MATERIALS SELECTION FOR DEMANDING SERVICE CONDITIONS. ALTHOUGH APPLICABLE TO MANY AREAS OF ADVANCED COMPOSITE MATERIALS DEVELOPMENT, THE APPROACH IS OPTIMIZED FOR EFFICIENT DEVELOPMENT OF THE COMPONENT MATERIALS PERFORMANCE DATA BASE THAT IS REQUIRED FOR FABRICATION OF RADIATION-RESISTANT COMPOSITE INSULATORS FOR USE IN THE SUPERCONDUCTING MAGNETS OF MAGNETIC FUSION ENERGY SYSTEMS. THE APPROACH IS BASED UPON IN-HOUSE PRODUCTION OF COMPOSITE SPECIMENS IN THE FORM OF 3.2 MM DIAMETER RODS THAT CAN BE TESTED DIRECTLY IN FLEXURE, IN SHORT-BEAM SHEAR, IN TORSION, OR FOR FRACTURE ENERGY AT CRYOGENIC TEMPERATURES BEFORE AND AFTER IRRADIATION. TECHNIQUES ALREADY EXIST FOR PRODUCING THE REQUIRED SPECIMENS FROM EPOXY RESINS. THE MAIN THRUST OF THIS PROJECT IS TO EXTEND THE SPECIMEN-PREPARATION TECHNIQUE TO ADVANCED POLYMER TYPES, SUCH AS POLYIMIDES, POLYPHENYLENE SULFIDE, AND POLYETHER-ETHERKETONE, THAT HAVE HIGHER INTRINSIC RESISTANCE TO RADIATION DEGRADATION BUT REQUIRE MORE SOPHISTICATED PROCESSING TECHNIQUES. DURING PHASE I IT IS PLANNED TO FOCUS ON CONDENSATION-TYPE AND ADDITIVE-TYPE POLYIMIDES AND TO DEMONSTRATE THAT HIGH-QUALITY SPECIMENS REINFORCED WITH GRAPHITE AND ALUMINUM OXIDE FIBERS AS WELL AS GLASS CAN BE PRODUCED WITH SUCH RESINS AND EFFICIENTLY TESTED AT CRYOGENIC TEMPERATURES.