Project title: Improvement of an ion beam facility for investigations of neutron damage in reactor materials
Main applicant: Petter Ström, Division of Materials Physics
Funder: Swedish Energy Agency
Grant amount: SEK 2 032 398
Project description
To address the climate crisis humanity is facing, we need to quickly transition our energy systems towards fossil-free electricity production. A range of measures are available, including the development of new nuclear power plants with improved safety and reduced waste issues. These power plants will be based on reactor types where materials are exposed to large neutron fluxes. To understand how these materials will be affected and to avoid material damage with potentially dangerous consequences, irradiation tests must be conducted. However, neutron irradiation is expensive, difficult, and impractical, which means researchers instead rely on ion irradiation at accelerator facilities. Sweden currently lacks the infrastructure to provide ideal experimental conditions for such research. The present project aims to upgrade and make available a beamline where ion irradiation can be conducted to study neutron damage effects on reactor materials.
