DIADEM project explores multi-material 3D printing for components in fusion reactors

Additive manufacturing is considered a key technology for components used under extreme conditions. A new research project has now been launched in the United Kingdom that addresses precisely this challenge. Under the name DIADEM, a consortium led by the Centre for Additive Manufacturing at the University of Nottingham, together with the UK Atomic Energy Authority, is investigating how materials for fusion facilities can be additively manufactured and deliberately combined. The project is funded through the Adventurous Manufacturing programme of the EPSRC, with support from industrial partners such as Rolls-Royce, the MTC, and Aerosint.

Allan Harte, Fusion Technology Research Portfolio Manager at UKAEA, said: “Fusion promises to be a safe, low-carbon, sustainable part of the world’s future energy supply, and the UK has a great opportunity to become a global exporter of fusion technology. However, achieving fusion means solving complex challenges. This project, leveraging additive manufacturing to help manufacture key fusion components, forms part of UKAEA’s ongoing efforts to bring fusion energy closer to commercial reality.”

The initial focus is on joining tungsten and copper. Both metals are essential for fusion reactors, as tungsten can withstand extreme temperatures, while copper offers high thermal conductivity. However, their very different thermal and mechanical properties make conventional processing difficult. Traditional manufacturing methods reach their limits here, for example due to crack formation or stresses at the interface.

“Joining two dissimilar metals has been a critical problem for the fusion sector, where the ability to blend two metals together is imperative for progress in this area. Using this state-of-the-art multi-material additive manufacturing technique for fusion energy is just the first application – in the future, DIADEM will benefit any sector where high-performance, multi-metal components are required, such as aerospace, defence and healthcare. By mastering multi-metal additive manufacturing, we’re opening the door to a new generation of engineered materials”, said Professor Richard Hague, Director of the Centre for Additive Manufacturing.

DIADEM therefore relies on multi-metal laser powder bed fusion, an additive process that allows precise control of material composition across multiple scales. The aim is to create so-called metamaterials whose properties are locally tailored. This is intended to produce components capable of withstanding high heat loads, neutron radiation, and strong magnetic fields, as encountered in plasma-facing components.

Dr Kedar Pandya, Executive Director for Strategy at EPSRC, said: “EPSRC are investing in adventurous research that pushes the boundaries of what’s possible in manufacturing. By pioneering new ways to fuse metals for extreme environments, this project is helping to tackle one of fusion energy’s toughest challenges. This research is working towards making fusion energy a reality with the potential to bring clean and sustainable energy to people across the country.”

With a view to projects such as the UK’s STEP fusion power plant, scheduled to begin operation from 2040, DIADEM underscores the growing role of 3D printing in the development of durable, high-performance components.