D-depth profiling in as-implanted and annealed Li-based breeder blanket ceramics

Highlights: • Three solid breeder blanket candidates were D-implanted and characterized by NRA at different annealing temperatures. • Lithium containing silicate and titanate ceramics with ratio 2Li:Si, 3Li:Si and 1Li:Ti were fabricated. • The fabricated ceramics exhibit different porosity, grain size and density. • The ceramics were implanted with D: a complete outgas was observed at T ⩾ 200 °C. • Surface is crucial for the release kinetics and grain boundaries represent an alternative path to porous for diffusion. -- Abstract: In future power plants (i.e. DEMO), the nuclear fusion of hydrogen isotopes will be used for energy production. The behaviour of hydrogen isotopes in lithium-enriched ceramics for breeder blankets (BBs) is one of the most important items to be understood. In this paper we present the chemical, microstructural and morphological features of Li4SiO4, Li2TiO3 and a third ceramic candidate with a higher Li:Si proportion (3:1), implanted with D at an energy of 100 keV and at room temperature at a fluence of 1 × 1017 cm−2. The D depth-profile in as-implanted and annealed ceramics (at T ⩽ 200 °C) was characterised by Resonance Nuclear Reaction Analysis (RNRA). The RNRA data indicate that the total amount of D is retained at room temperature, while annealing at 100 °C promotes D release and annealing at T ⩾ 150 °C drives D to completely desorb from all the studied ceramics. D release will be discussed as a function of the microstructurural and morphological features of each material