Materials problems in the design of magnetically confined plasma fusion reactors

Conceptual design studies disclose that when the plasma physics problems of fusion reactors are sufficiently in hand to permit the design and construction of a fusion power plant, the designer will be confronted with many materials problems that are the same as or similar to those of fission reactors, e.g., radiation damage, the compatibility of liquid metals with structural materials, and hydrogen permeation and embrittlement. In addition, there will be new problems such as sputtering and other radiation damage by ion bombardment and the special problems of superconducting materials and operation of highly stressed magnet coil structure at temperatures near 4°K.