Scientists of MEPhI have created a methodology which allows get the most precise data, that is necessary for the reliable work of thermonuclear reactors as a part of International Atomic Energy Agency project. The results of work have been published in the Journal of Nuclear Materials.

Thermonuclear facilities are created in attempt to use thermonuclear reaction, happening, in particular, on Sun, for getting electric energy. If successful, it will give an unfailing source of energy to the humankind. The largest project in this sphere is the project of the international thermonuclear reactor ITER, which is being built in France now.

The building of thermonuclear reactors involves a lot of problems. For example, the question of choice of the material for the most energetically tense reactor elements, which are in contact with thermonuclear plasma, remains open. Tungsten is one of the most perspective materials. However, specialists don’t know for sure yet, how this metal will act in conditions of a working thermonuclear reactor, in particular, in interaction with one of the components of the thermonuclear “fuel” – radioactive hydrogen isotope tritium. The tritium capture in radiation metal defects of plasma-facing reactor walls is one of the serious potential problems.

The tritium accumulation is a threat from several points of view, explains employee of MEPhI Plasma Physics Department Yuriy Gasparian. He claims that tritium in a large quantity can lead to the complete degradation of reactor walls’ mechanical properties. An uncontrolled emission of the accumulated tritium from the walls’ material leads to so-called plasma disruption and large energy emission, added Gasparian.

For the search of solutions to such problems it is necessary, in particular, to know the value of energy of interaction of hydrogen with defects of metal of thermonuclear facilities’ walls. Employees of MEPhI Plasma Physics Department have created a new methodology of this parameter’s measuring.

According to Gasparian’s words, this methodology, unlike the ones, used before, allows get the most precise data out of possible values. At the same time, it is insensitive or low sensitive to the factors, which previously influenced the results of the measuring.