Focus on fusion materials and superalloys: Highlights from the working group “Mechanical behavior of materials at high temperatures”
The meeting of the working group “Mechanical Behavior of Materials at High Temperatures” on October 15, 2025, at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) in Garching provided a concise overview of current developments in high-temperature materials research. The combination of established topics and new ideas made the event particularly valuable for the participants.
At the beginning of the meeting of the working group “Mechanical Behavior of Materials at High Temperatures,” Prof. Rudolf Neu presented the research at the IPP, particularly in the field of fusion materials, and warmly welcomed the participants. This introduction provided the framework for the subsequent presentations and highlighted the close interconnection between materials development and fusion research.
In a total of ten presentations, experts covered a wide range of topics relating to high-temperature materials and their mechanical behavior. The focus was particularly on classic materials such as nickel-based superalloys and tungsten materials for use in fusion reactors. In addition, new iron- and cobalt-based superalloys, the effects of hydrogen, additively manufactured titanium alloys, and methods for characterizing materials using high-energy X-ray diffraction were presented. The determination of elastic properties using resonance ultrasonic spectroscopy also met with great interest. A highlight of the event was the presentation by Dr. Johann Riesch, who provided deeper insights into novel tungsten fiber-reinforced tungsten composites.
At the end of the series of presentations, the working group discussed its next steps. The next meeting is planned for early October 2026. In addition, Dr. Neumeier provided information about two symposia that will take place as part of MSE 2026: “Metallic high-temperature materials for structural applications” and “Materials for plasma-exposed components in future fusion reactors.” Both events offer exciting opportunities for professional exchange and are of great interest to the participants of the working group.
The day ended with a tour of the IPP’s research facilities. Participants were given an exclusive insight into the ASDEX Upgrade experimental facility for the development of fusion reactors, the GLADIS heat flux test bench, and the tandem accelerator. This tour highlighted the practical research and technological challenges involved in the search for energy production through nuclear fusion.