Part 6/9:
Despite these challenges, ITER (the International Thermonuclear Experimental Reactor) is exploring other materials, including beryllium. Beryllium offers high thermal conductivity and can help breed tritium, but it’s toxic, rare, and has a higher sputtering rate, causing rapid degradation.
There are ongoing experiments with boron and lithium plating to mitigate the drawbacks of tungsten and enhance tritium production, but these too bring their unique challenges.