Characterization of advanced cyanate ester/epoxy insulation systems before and after reactor irradiation

Mechanical property tests on structural materials for ITER magnet system at low temperatures in China

“…The standard ASTM D 3039 was developed to evaluate tensile properties of discontinuous fiber or discontinuous fiber reinforced composites with a rectangular sample. However, double-bell specimens in accordance with ASTM D 638, which were developed to test tensile properties of plastic materials, have been widely used [21,22]. The ILSS was tested in accordance with ASTM D 2344.…”

Compact tokamaks as convenient neutron sources for fusion reactors materials testing

“…The radiation resistance limit for the epoxy used in ITER is 1E9 rads (1E7 gray = 10 MGy) [9]. That resistance does not seem enough to meet ITER requirements on a safe side, and development of novel insulators has been carried out in the recent years [10].…”

“…A recent publication [10] shows the excellent radiation resistance properties of these materials. Several mixtures of CE and epoxy resins were investigated, and the pure CE composite, named T1, maintained about 75% of its mechanical strength, compared to the unirradiated state, even at a fluence of 5 × 10 22 m −2 , which corresponds to a dose of 250 MGy.…”

“…The new insulator must couple good radiation resistance properties with high mechanical strength: our survey indicates that cyanate esters could be the best candidate. Recent literature shows their excellent characteristics [10], and the product is available on the high-tech materials market [13]. 1…”

Qualification of the resin for the ITER TF coil insulation

“…During the past years a lot of research has been done in Europe characterizing mixtures of cyanate ester (CE) and epoxy resins in view of the ITER toroidal field (TF) coil insulation [1,2]. A mixture of 40% CE and 60% epoxy turned out to be the best compromise between costs, applicability and radiation resistance.…”