Present status of low-Z coating development in JAERI

In the JT-60 at JAERI, TiC-coated molybdenum and TiC-coated Inconel tiles are currently used as plasma interactive components. They have already been subjected to initial ohmic heating experiments and exhibited good adhesion characteristics under high heat flux conditions. The present article reviews a JAERI's coating development program for JT-60 experiments currently under way and for the next-step experiments. The program includes development and performance tests of the TiC-coated tiles, development of an in-situ coating technique for the repair of damaged surface of the tiles, and research on carbonization. Stress is laid on thermal shock and thermal fatigue tests of these coatings. In the thermal tests, adhesion between low-Z coatings and bulk materials have been investigated under high heat irradiation. TiC and TiN are used as coating material while Mo and Inconel 625 are employed as bulk material. Results are shown in this report concerning calculated temperature elavation of TiC/TiN/Mo due to hydrogen beam irradiation. As regards the irradiation time required for the melting of the substrate, experimental results mostly agree with calculations. Almost all coatings investigated are not exfoliated from the substrate until the melting of the substrate. (Nogami, K.)