{
  "abstract": "Hydrogen isotope retention in plasma facing and structural alloys is a central materials challenge for deuterium-tritium fusion. Motivated by ion beam irradiation experiments and first principles calculations, we identify an irradiation-enabled mechanism whereby solute segregation to defect sinks enhances hydrogen isotope trapping. Triple-ion irradiation of reduced activation ferritic-martensitic steel F82H reveals pronounced segregation of Cr and Ta to cavity surfaces. Density functional theory shows that these segregants markedly increase H stability at cavities by strengthening binding energies and increasing migration barriers, leading to substantially higher attention. The effect originates from solute-tuned electronic structure: Ta promotes strong H 1s-metal d orbital hybridization, whereas Cr shifts the surface d-band toward a more favorable bonding configuration. These findings provide an atomistic link between irradiation-induced segregation and elevated-temperature hydrogen isotope retention and alloy chemistry routes to control tritium inventory in fusion environments.",
  "abstract_shown": true,
  "affiliations": [],
  "article_type": null,
  "arxiv": "2609.08878",
  "author_total": 5,
  "authors": [
    {
      "name": "Lihao Shi"
    },
    {
      "name": "Logan N. Clowers"
    },
    {
      "name": "Qing Peng"
    },
    {
      "name": "Gary S. Was"
    },
    {
      "name": "Fei Gao"
    }
  ],
  "bibtex": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9b7zgppfyyee2.bib",
  "cited_by": 0,
  "doi": "10.48550/arxiv.2609.08878",
  "fulltext_url": null,
  "id": "9b7zgppfyyee2",
  "issns": [],
  "landing_url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.08878",
  "language": null,
  "licence": "LicenseRef-arXiv-nonexclusive-1.0",
  "licence_label": "arXiv licence",
  "licence_source": "article",
  "licence_url": "http://arxiv.org/licenses/nonexclusive-distrib/1.0/",
  "metadata_licence": "CC0-1.0",
  "native_subjects": [
    [
      "arxiv",
      "cond-mat.mtrl-sci"
    ],
    [
      "openalex",
      "2505|Fusion materials and technologies"
    ]
  ],
  "openalex": "W7212064856",
  "pdf_url": "https://arxiv.org/pdf/2609.08878",
  "pmcid": null,
  "pmid": null,
  "published": "2026-09-08",
  "publisher": null,
  "ris": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9b7zgppfyyee2.ris",
  "sources": [
    {
      "first_seen": "2026-10-30T12:19:52Z",
      "native_id": "2609.08878",
      "source": "arxiv",
      "url": "https://arxiv.org/abs/2609.08878"
    }
  ],
  "subjects": [
    {
      "field": "physics",
      "origin": "arxiv:cond-mat.mtrl-sci",
      "subfield": "condensed-matter"
    }
  ],
  "title": "Controlling Hydrogen Isotope Retention at Helium Cavities through Radiation-Induced Segregation in Fusion Steels",
  "title_text": "Controlling Hydrogen Isotope Retention at Helium Cavities through Radiation-Induced Segregation in Fusion Steels",
  "type": "preprint",
  "updated_at": "2026-10-30T12:19:52Z",
  "url": "https://research.draconitic.com/paper/9b7zgppfyyee2",
  "venue": "arXiv",
  "versions": []
}