Materials Challenges for Generation IV Nuclear Energy Systems

Aspects of Applied Chemistry Related to Future Goals of Safety and Efficiency in Materials Development for Nuclear Energy

The present paper is a narrative review focused on a few important aspects and moments of trends surrounding materials and methods in sustainable nuclear energy, as an expression of applied chemistry support for more efficiency and safety. In such context, the paper is focused firstly on increasing alloy performance by modifying compositions, and elaborating and testing novel coatings on Zr alloys and stainless steel. For future generation reactor systems, the paper proposes high entropy alloys presenting their composition selection and irradiation damage. Nowadays, when great uncertainties and complex social, environmental, and political factors influence energy type selection, any challenge in this field is based on the concept of increased security and materials performance leading to more investigations into applied science.

Evolution of the oxidation behaviors of highly oxidation-resistant (Ti0.8Nb0.2)C in 1000–1200 °C steam

The evolution of the oxidation behaviors of (Ti0.8Nb0.2)C reveals that the outward diffusion of the metal elements plays a decisive role during oxidation and the diffusion rate disparity gives rise to diverse oxidation behaviors.

Corrosion in Iron and Steel T91 Caused by Flowing Lead–Bismuth Eutectic at 400 °C and 10−7 Mass% Dissolved Oxygen

Specimens produced from technically pure iron and two different heats of ferritic/martensitic steel T91 are investigated after exposure to oxygen-containing flowing lead–bismuth eutectic (LBE) at 400 °C, 10−7 mass% dissolved oxygen, and flow velocity of 2 m/s, for exposure times between around 1000 and 13,000 h. The occurring phenomena are analyzed and quantified using metallographic cross sections prepared after exposure. While pure iron mostly shows solution underneath or in the absence of a detached and buckled oxide scale, solution in T91 occurs only in a few spots on the sample surface. However, in the case of one of the investigated heats, a singular event of exceptionally severe solution-based corrosion is observed. The results are compared especially with findings at 450 and 550 °C and otherwise similar conditions as well as austenitic steels tested in the identical experimental run.

In situ study of defect migration kinetics in nanoporous Ag with enhanced radiation tolerance

Defect sinks, such as grain boundaries and phase boundaries, have been widely accepted to improve the irradiation resistance of metallic materials. However, free surface, an ideal defect sink, has received little attention in bulk materials as surface-to-volume ratio is typically low. Here by using in situ Kr ion irradiation technique in a transmission electron microscope, we show that nanoporous (NP) Ag has enhanced radiation tolerance. Besides direct evidence of free surface induced frequent removal of various types of defect clusters, we determined, for the first time, the global and instantaneous diffusivity of defect clusters in both coarse-grained (CG) and NP Ag. Opposite to conventional wisdom, both types of diffusivities are lower in NP Ag. Such a surprise is largely related to the reduced interaction energy between isolated defect clusters in NP Ag. Determination of kinetics of defect clusters is essential to understand and model their migration and clustering in irradiated materials.

Microstructural characterization of next generation nuclear graphites

This article reports the microstructural characteristics of various petroleum and pitch based nuclear graphites (IG-110, NBG-18, and PCEA) that are of interest to the next generation nuclear plant program. Bright-field transmission electron microscopy imaging was used to identify and understand the different features constituting the microstructure of nuclear graphite such as the filler particles, microcracks, binder phase, rosette-shaped quinoline insoluble (QI) particles, chaotic structures, and turbostratic graphite phase. The dimensions of microcracks were found to vary from a few nanometers to tens of microns. Furthermore, the microcracks were found to be filled with amorphous carbon of unknown origin. The pitch coke based graphite (NBG-18) was found to contain higher concentration of binder phase constituting QI particles as well as chaotic structures. The turbostratic graphite, present in all of the grades, was identified through their elliptical diffraction patterns. The difference in the microstructure has been analyzed in view of their processing conditions.

Embrittlement of metal by solute segregation-induced amorphization

Impurities segregated to grain boundaries of a material essentially alter its fracture behavior. A prime example is sulfur segregation-induced embrittlement of nickel, where an observed relation between sulfur-induced amorphization of grain boundaries and embrittlement remains unexplained. Here, 48x10(6)-atom reactive-force-field molecular dynamics simulations provide the missing link. Namely, an order-of-magnitude reduction of grain-boundary shear strength due to amorphization, combined with tensile-strength reduction, allows the crack tip to always find an easy propagation path.