BRAZING AND MACHINING OF CARBON-BASED MATERIALS FOR PLASMA-FACING COMPONENTS

Carbon based materials in the recent years have often been considered and used as armour material in plasma facing components for several fusion devices, because of their low Z and good high temperature characteristics that are compatible with the operation of nuclear reactors. These materials are often connected (mechanically or by brazing) to metals, that allow the support and the cooling functions (heat sink materials). In the following the experience of Ansaldo Ricerche about the study and the manufacturing of plasma facing components and mockups is described with reference to the influence of the carbon materials in performing brazing junction with metals. It is interesting to observe how the different characteristics of the carbon materials influence the brazing process.