The King Abdulaziz City for Science and Technology (KACST) signed a trilateral fusion materials research agreement with King Abdullah University of Science and Technology (KAUST) and Italy's ENEA, the host of the Divertor Tokamak Test (DTT) facility in Frascati.
The agreement focuses on two parallel work packages: liquid-tin divertor concepts as an alternative to solid tungsten under steady-state heat flux, and silicon-carbide-fiber-reinforced ceramic composites for first-wall structural applications. Both are areas where DTT's high-duty-cycle exhaust conditions provide a uniquely relevant test environment.
Both are areas where DTT's high-duty-cycle exhaust conditions provide a uniquely relevant test environment.
The program also funds five Saudi PhD positions at KAUST embedded with ENEA for the duration of the DTT commissioning campaign, currently scheduled to begin in 2029. Kingdom officials framed the agreement as part of the Vision 2030 economic diversification mandate.