Materials for sustainable nuclear energy: a European strategic research and innovation agenda for all reactor generations

Nuclear energy is presently the single major low-carbon electricity source in Europe and is overall expected to maintain (perhaps eventually even increase) its current installed power from now to 2045. Long-term operation (LTO) is a reality in essentially all nuclear European countries, even when planning to phase out. New builds are planned. Moreover, several European countries, including non-nuclear or phasing out ones, have interests in next generation nuclear systems. Materials and material science play in this framework a crucial role towards safer, more efficient, more economical and overall more sustainable nuclear energy. This paper proposes a research agenda that combines modern digital technologies with materials science practices to pursue a change of paradigm that promotes innovation, equally serving the different nuclear energy interests and positions throughout Europe. The paper overviews structural and fuel materials used in current generation reactors, as well as the wider spectrum of them for next generation reactors, summarizing the relevant issues. Next it describes the materials science approaches that are common to any nuclear materials, including e.g. concrete and polymers which are not addressed here, identifying for each of them a research agenda goal. It is concluded that among these goals are the development of structured materials qualification test-beds and materials acceleration platforms (MAPs) for materials that operate under harsh conditions. .

MALERBA Lorenzo;  AL-MAZOUZI Abderrahim;  BERTOLUS Marjorie;  COLOGNA Marco;  EFSING Pal;  JIANU Adrian;  KINNUNEN Petri;  NILSSON Karl-Fredrik;  RABUNG Madelina;  TARANTINO M.; 

2022-03-08

MDPI

JRC128245

1996-1073 (online),   

https://www.mdpi.com/1996-1073/15/5/1845,    https://publications.jrc.ec.europa.eu/repository/handle/JRC128245,   

10.3390/en15051845 (online),