4.21.1 Introduction

The use of a ceramic coating for electrical insulation is a key technology for fusion blanket systems using liquid metals as breeding and coolant material and solid metals as the structural material. Particularly for the blanket system using liquid lithium and vanadium alloys (Li—V blankets), coating develop­ment is a major feasibility issue (see also Chapter 4.12, Vanadium for Nuclear Systems for vanadium alloy and liquid Li blankets). Overviews of the coating development for liquid lithium blankets are available in recent publications.1-3 It should, however, be noted that, with the development of a more fundamental understanding of coating behavior and blanket design, there has been a paradigm shift in coating development. This chapter describes the present status of insulator coating R&D, in addition to a historical overview of its development.