Tensile and compressive behaviors of the Y2Zr2O7 nanoparticles dispersed tungsten material under various temperature conditions: Experiments and simulations

This study addresses the large-scale material requirements for plasma-facing components in fusion reactors. A scalable process was developed to produce W-Y 2 Zr 2 O 7 composite powders with a Y-to-Zr atomic ratio of 1:1, enabling batch production at the 20 kg scale. Bulk W-Y 2 Zr 2 O 7 composites were fabricated using SPS. The sintered composites exhibited tungsten grain sizes of approximately 3 μm, with second-phase particle sizes of about 200 nm within grains and approximately 500 nm along grain boundaries. The second-phase particles were identified as Y 2 Zr 2 O 7 . Tensile tests conducted at temperatures ranging from RT to 773 K revealed a DBTT between 573 K and 673 K, with the highest elongation after fracture (11.7 %) observed at 773 K. Compressive tests over the same temperature range showed a decreasing trend in yield strength with increasing temperature. Tensile simulations suggest that intragranular Y 2 Zr 2 O 7 nanoparticles can modify deformation pathways by impeding dislocation motion at elevated temperatures, providing an atomistic rationale consistent with the experimentally observed particle dispersion and mechanical response. Compressive simulations likewise indicate that such nanoparticles can constrain dislocation activity and contribute to the temperature-dependent strengthening trends. These findings offer valuable insights into the development of plasma-facing tungsten materials for fusion reactors.