Smart alloys for a future fusion power plant: First studies under stationary plasma load and in accidental conditions

•Advanced tungsten-based smart alloys are being developed for future fusion power plant•Smart alloys will be used as plasma-facing components and as a passive safety measure in case of accident.•First direct comparative test of smart alloy and pure tungsten under identical plasma and accidental conditions was made.•Smart alloys featured similar sputtering as that of pure tungsten during plasma exposure.•Smart alloys demonstrate the 3-fold suppression of oxidation during the simulated accident as compared to pure tungsten.