MAPP researchers at the University of Oxford are working to develop novel powder based approaches to manufacture thick tungsten armour tiles to be used within the next-generation nuclear fusion reactors.  

The technical challenge with these components is the joining of materials with dissimilar thermal expansion, such as steel and tungsten, which drives to degradation of the coating and eventually delamination during thermal cycling.

Using field assisted sintering technology (FAST) and sculptured substrate we have succeeded in making small scale tiles with millimetre-scale tungsten coating capable of withstanding initial thermal cycling.

Current work is focusing on the characterization of the mechanical properties under stresses.