Germany launches GalvanoFusion project to develop world-first electrochemical tungsten first-wall coatings
Category: Alloys, Blankets, Ceramics, Divertors, Magnets, Stellerator, Tokamak, Vessels
Inside the ASDEX Upgrade plasma vessel at the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics in Garching, the tungsten-tiled first-wall surface represents exactly the engineering challenge GalvanoFusion’s electrochemical coating process is designed to solve
(Image courtesy of MPI für Plasmaphysik, Photo: V. Rohde)
A research consortium led by the Fraunhofer Institute for Manufacturing Engineering and Automation (IPA), with the Max Planck Institute for Plasma Physics (IPP) and ionic liquid specialist IoLiTec, has launched GalvanoFusion. The project targets a tungsten coating for fusion reactor first walls using an electrochemical process that does not yet exist anywhere in the world, either industrially or in a laboratory setting. This gap sits at the heart of one of fusion’s most persistent engineering barriers: protecting the reactor first wall at commercial scale without the cost and material constraints of solid tungsten construction.
Why tungsten coating is critical for fusion reactors
Tungsten is the material of choice for plasma-exposed surfaces. These surfaces must withstand thermal loads of up to 10 megawatts per square metre. As a refractory metal with a melting point above 3,000 degrees Celsius, tungsten resists even the most extreme thermal stresses. However, using it in bulk form creates serious economic problems.
Tungsten makes up just one millionth of the Earth’s crust. Additionally, it is classified as a conflict mineral and is extremely difficult to process mechanically. Therefore, manufacturing entire components from tungsten is neither economical nor practical. The GalvanoFusion team is instead pursuing a thin electrochemically deposited tungsten layer on a more manageable substrate. This approach delivers the surface performance of a refractory metal without the supply chain and fabrication penalties of solid construction.
Breaking the barrier to electrochemical tungsten coating
Conventional electroplating fails with tungsten because the metal has a very low hydrogen overpotential. In aqueous electrolytes, no tungsten deposits on the surface; only hydrogen forms instead. For this reason, the consortium works with anhydrous electrolytes based on ionic liquids and organic solvents. The team describes this route as globally unprecedented.
Each partner brings complementary expertise. IPP defines the coating requirements and runs application-oriented tests under fusion-relevant conditions. Fraunhofer IPA develops the full coating process, with industrial scaling as the stated end objective. IoLiTec contributes the formulation know-how for the specialised ionic liquid electrolytes.
Funding, Timeline, and the Road Ahead
The project runs from 1 January 2026 to 31 December 2028. Germany’s Federal Ministry of Research, Technology and Space funds it under the Fusion 2040 programme, grant reference 13F1034A. The full project title is “GalvanoFusion -Electrochemical deposition of tungsten layers for fusion reactors from non-aqueous electrolytes.”
If Fraunhofer IPA achieves its industrial scaling objective within that window, the process would represent the first manufacturable electrochemical route to pure tungsten first-wall coatings. Consequently, it would remove a materials challenge the project’s own team currently describes as unsolved anywhere in the world.
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