Combined effect of laser thermal shock and helium ion irradiation on W-Y2O3 composites

Highlights: • Thermal shock behavior of samples was characterized after helium irradiation. • Combined helium irradiation and thermal shock has significant influence on crack propagation. • Observing fuzz was more likely to converge densely at the phase interface. • Y₂O₃ doping can improve thermal shock resistance of the W-Y₂O₃ composite. -- Abstract: Tungsten can be the preferred plasma-facing material for nuclear fusion reaction. In this work, W-Y₂O₃ composite powder was successfully fabricated through the wet chemical method, and bulk materials were obtained by rolling and high temperature annealing. W-2 vol% Y₂O₃ was exposed to 80 eV helium ion irradiation with a flux of 1.5 × 10²² ions/(m²·s) at 1503–1553 K to assess its thermal shock resistance and helium ion irradiation damage behavior. The thermal shock behaviors of samples were studied under a laser beam. The energy densities of the laser thermal shock were 0.32, 0.48, and 0.64 GW/m². W-Y₂O₃ was compared with commercial pure tungsten. The hardness of pure tungsten and W-Y₂O₃ before and after helium irradiation was measured by using a micro-hardness tester. The surface micrograph after helium ion irradiation and thermal shock was observed through scanning electron microscopy. Results show that W-Y₂O₃ composite materials have better resistance to laser thermal shock than pure tungsten.