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Abstract: The status and key issues of reduced activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) steels R&D are reviewed as the primary candidate structural material for fusion energy demonstration reactor blankets. This includes manufacturing technology, the as-fabricated and irradiates material database and joining technologies. The review indicated that the manufacturing technology, joining technology and database accumulation including irradiation data are ready for initial design activity, and also identifies various issues that remain to be solved for engineering design activity and qualification of the material for international fusion material irradiation facility (IFMIF) irradiation experiments that will validate the data base. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Fusion reactors, advanced fission reactors and high power accelerator spallation targets subject materials to damaging particle irradiation. Although these technologies derive their utility from different nuclear reactions and divergent applications, they experience many common features. Further, the physical mechanisms of radiation response are cross-cutting. For example, swelling, phase instability, hardening, flow localization, and embrittlement must be understood in order to estimate component lifetimes. Additional commonalities include reliance on the same classes of materials and sometimes on the identical alloy for critical components. In addition, databases supporting designs are mainly derived from the same relatively few irradiation facilities and from similar types of experiments. Opportunities are examined for coordinated efforts. Emphasis is placed on the development of fundamental knowledge to support alloy design strategies for resistance to irradiation and to form a scientific basis to develop better materials. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]

Abstract: Several types of reduced activation ferritic/martensitic (RAFM) steel have been developed over the past 30years in China, Europe, India, Japan, Russia and the USA for application in ITER test blanket modules (TBMs) and future fusion DEMO and power reactors. The progress has been particularly important during the past few years with evaluation of mechanical properties of these steels before and after irradiation and in contact with different cooling media. This paper presents recent RAFM steel results obtained in ITER partner countries in relation to different TBM and DEMO options. [Copyright &y& Elsevier]