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Chinese Researchers Create Unprecedented Pure Metal Alloy for the BEST Reactor Superconductors, Capable of Withstanding 190 Tons and Operating at 900 °C, Bringing the Country Closer to the First Electricity-Generating “Artificial Sun.”
China has announced a significant advance in its nuclear fusion project, known as the “artificial sun.” Researchers from the Institute of Metal Research (IMR) of the Chinese Academy of Sciences have developed a national technology for purifying metallic substrates made of Hastelloy (C276), an essential component for manufacturing the superconductors of the Burning Plasma Experimental Superconducting Tokamak (BEST), an experimental reactor that promises to generate electricity from nuclear fusion.
Strategic Advancement in the Project
Professor Rong Lijian, who led the study, stated that the new technology eliminates a strategic bottleneck. Despite being a leader in superconducting materials, China relied on expensive and unstable imports of C276 substrates.
With this discovery, the country will now produce one of the most critical materials for the reactor’s operation domestically, reducing the vulnerability of its supply chain.
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According to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the BEST reactor is expected to be completed by 2027 and may become the first in history to generate electricity from nuclear fusion, a milestone that would change the global energy landscape.
Structure and Functioning of the Material
The IMR explains that the C276 substrate acts as the structural base for the high-temperature superconducting tapes used in plasma confinement.
These tapes “grow” layer by layer on the substrate, which ensures resistance and thermal stability for the system. Professor Rong highlighted that his team has accumulated 20 years of experience in high-purity materials and has overcome processing challenges in less than two years.
The new material is classified as “ultrapure,” with minimal levels of impurities — such as carbon, oxygen, and sulfur — lower than those of imported equivalents.
Moreover, the group has managed to produce metal strips over 2,000 meters long and only 0.046 millimeters thick, with a surface roughness of less than 20 nanometers, comparable to a mirror.
Performance and Resistance
Tests showed that, when cooled with liquid nitrogen, the material withstands a tensile strength of over 1,900 MPa. Practically, a small sample would be capable of supporting a weight of up to 190 tons.
The material also maintained high resistance even after being heated to 900 °C, demonstrating exceptional thermal stability and durability — essential characteristics for the magnets controlling the superheated plasma inside the reactor.
Current Stage of the BEST Project
The BEST device has already entered a new construction phase, which includes the assembly of the main machine. The installation of the Dewar base, a large vacuum-insulated container that maintains the cryogenic temperatures necessary for the operation of superconducting magnets, marks the beginning of this stage.
With the development of the domestic substrate and the progress of the construction, China strengthens its position among global leaders in the race for controlled nuclear fusion — one of the most ambitious scientific goals of the century.
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