Compositional optimisation of silicon carbide for various fusion blanket designs

Recent changes to the European activation file cross-section library have p rompted a re-evaluation of the neutron activation response of SiC. The new data suggest that both short-term and long-term activation levels are sligh tly improved compared with previous library releases. Using this new data, a compositional optimisation methodology based on real measurements is desc ribed, and a fully specified SiC composition calculated. The optimised comp osition is believed to be a compromise between a material that can be reali stically fabricated while retaining much of the excellent radiological prop erties of pure SiC. (C) 2000 Elsevier Science B.V. All rights reserved.