COMPATIBILITY OF INSULATING CERAMIC MATERIALS WITH LIQUID BREEDERS

The development of ceramic coating is one of the most important subjec ts in liquid blanket R&D. The compatibility of candidate ceramic mater ials (Y2O3, Al2O3, MgO, 3Al(2)O(3)-MgO, AlN-BN and BN) with liquid met al breeders such as metallic lithium and lithium-lead alloy (Li17-Pb83 ) was investigated at 773 K up to 5 Ms with the change in insulating p roperty. Al2O3 and 3Al(2)O(3)-MgO were severely corroded and dissolved or broken by lithium, while MgO was corroded uniformly with a moderat e rate (e.g. 27 mu m for 4.8 Ms). The most thermodynamically stable Y2 O3 was a little corroded and showed a slight increase in electrical co nductivity. On the other hand, all the ceramic materials were not corr oded at all by Li17-Pb83, as predicted from a thermodynamical analysis . AIN-BN and BN corroded by lithium became more fragile because impuri ties included in the specimens were dissolved in lithium. (C) 1998 Els evier Science S.A. All rights reserved.