| About this Abstract |
| Meeting |
2025 TMS Annual Meeting & Exhibition
|
| Symposium
|
Meeting Materials Challenges for the Future of Fusion Energy
|
| Presentation Title |
Ultra High Temperature Ceramics for Fusion Energy Applications |
| Author(s) |
Lance Snead, David Sprouster, Ju Li |
| On-Site Speaker (Planned) |
Lance Snead |
| Abstract Scope |
Ultra-high temperature ceramics (UHTCs) have promising applications as structural components in fission and fusion reactor designs. These materials share the same path to irradiation resistance as SiC, though have even higher temperature capability, and we hypothesize as-irradiated thermal conductivity due to the enhanced component of electronic conductivity. To assess this hypothesis, we have fabricated several UHTC materials through spark plasma sintering, and subsequently neutron irradiated specimens in test reactors. Our microstructural and thermophysical properties show that fabricated thermal conductivities can be effectively controlled through doping with appropriate sintering aids with over 50% improvement in thermal conductivities, and nill change in microstructure. This impressive improvement is attributed to substitutional doping. Post-irradiation results show retention in microstructural properties and thermal conductivity. Demonstrating the retention of thermal properties after irradiation has important implications in the design of critical core components including cladding and structural components and harnessing intrinsic radiation-resistant materials for nuclear applications. |
| Proceedings Inclusion? |
Planned: |
| Keywords |
Ceramics, Characterization, Composites |