NEUTRON IRRADIATION STABLE CARBON-CARBON COMPOSITES

TO DATE CARBON-CARBON COMPOSITES HAVE NOT BEEN CONSIDERED FOR USE IN HIGH ENERGY NEUTRON FIELDS DUE TO THE HIGHLY UNSTABLE NATURE OF THE CARBON FIBERS. IT IS PROPOSED TO SELECT NEW CARBON FIBERS THAT CAN BE EASILY GRAPHITIZED AND PROCESS THEM INTO FIBER-REINFORCED CARBON-CARBON COMPOSITES THAT WILL BE STABLE TO HIGH ENERGY NEUTRONS, AND AS SUCH, CAN BE CONSIDERED AS FIRST WALL TILES AND LIMITERS IN A MAGNETICALLY CONFINED POWER FUSION REACTOR. COMPOSITE FABRICATION WILL BE TAILORED TO PERMIT FLEXIBILITY OF DESIGN IN REMOVAL OF SURFACE HEAT DUE TO INTERACTION OF THE PLASMS WITH THE WALL. IN PHASE I WE WILL DEMONSTRATE THE FEASIBILITY OF FABRICATION. CHARACTERIZATION WILL BE PERFORMED TO PROVIDE DATA FOR ESTIMATING IRRADIATION STABILITY.