In future fusion reactors, tungsten is a main candidate material for the plasma facing material. To overcome the brittleness of tungsten, tungsten fiber-reinforced tungsten (Wf/W) composites have been developed using a powder metallurgy processes. In this study, a novel type of Wf/W with porous matrix has been developed using field assisted sintering technology (FAST). Compared to conventional Wf/W, the avoiding of fiber/matrix interface simplified the production process. Initial mechanical testing showed Wf/W with porous matrix can establish a promising pseudo ductile behavior with an increased fracture toughness compared to pure W.

Spherical hollow polymer foam shells used as a sustainer of cryogenic fuel for the inertial fusion target have been developed. Foam shells which have 500–1000 μm diameter with a 30–100 μm uniform wall, 4 μm cell size and 40 mg/cm3 density, have been fabricated using a dual-nozzle droplet generator and a freeze-dry technique. Requirements to obtain a uniform thick wall and fine cell size are discussed.