Thermal fatigue characterization of CFC divertor modules using a one step brazing process

From the European side, three directional carbon fiber composites (CFCs) are foreseen to be used as plasma facing material for the strike point region of the initial ITER divertor installed for the non-tritium operational phase. For such divertor components two designs, the flat tile and the monoblock concept, are feasible, comprising a joint of the CFC with a Cu/Cu-alloy heat sink.This paper deals with the qualification of a reliable and cheap joining technology for such components, i.e. the simultaneous joining of the CuCrZr heat sink to a compliant Cu layer for the accommodation of thermal stresses and of the Cu layer and the CFC using a non-active Cu–Ge brazing material. For this purpose flat tile and monoblock mock-ups were manufactured, microstructurally analyzed, and subsequently exposed to cyclic high heat flux tests in the electron beam facility JUDITH. Applying hundreds of cycles at up to 20 MW/m2 the tested mock-ups underwent partial damaging, which was characterized in post-mortem microstructural investigations to analyze occurring degradation mechanisms, e.g. partial delamination at the CFC/Cu-interface.