Role and contribution of ITER in research of materials and reactor components

ITER will be the first operating fusion reactor. Although operational conditions and the design of ITER in-vessel components may differ from the design for reactors producing electricity, the operation of ITER will provide a wide range of tests of materials and components under combined 14 MeV neutron, heat and particle fluxes within the available fluence. This paper discusses the possible tests in ITER in the following areas: tests of the materials with the goal of development of a fundamental understanding of fusion neutron irradiation effects, tests of breeding blanket materials and components, and tests of plasma facing materials and divertor components.