This project is based at the University of Sheffield and is sponsored by UKAEA, and seeks candidates with a 2.1 or 1st class degree in a STEM discipline. If English is not your first language you must have IELTS 7.0 (or equivalent).
Fusion has the potential to produce enormous amounts of energy, using abundant fuel sources, without the possibility of a runaway chain reaction. Research into fusion energy has entered an exciting new phase, with the development and construction of test reactors designed to demonstrate that not only can we get more energy out than we put in (e.g. ITER in France), but also that producing electricity from fusion reactions are possible (e.g. the Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production (STEP) programme in the UK). One of the grand challenges in achieving commercial fusion energy is in choosing the best materials that will directly face the fusion plasma as these will experience the most extreme conditions, including operating for prolonged durations at temperatures in excess of 1000 °C, and neutron bombardment leading to irradiation damage orders of magnitude greater than within conventional fission reactors.
Whilst tungsten (W) is the current armour material of choice, it does have significant drawbacks such as; low ductility, a high ductile to brittle transition temperature (DBTT), which is increased after irradiation, and the formation of activated transmutation products and oxides during operation. Multicomponent alloys (MCAs) have been suggested as a potential class of material that can address these shortfalls. MCAs are comprised of multiple elements in equal, or near-equal amounts, instead of being based on a single element, such as steel. Some MCAs, including the so-called high entropy alloys (HEAs), have been reported to maintain good mechanical properties and corrosion resistance at high temperatures, and display excellent resistance to radiation damage.
This project will develop multi-component alloys capable of operating as an armour material. Computational methods will be used to identify reduced activation MCAs, which specifically meet the design requirements of an armour material. Extensive characterisation of the MCAs, produced by arc melting, will assess key properties such as phase composition, distribution and thermal stability, ductility and thermal conductivity, using electron microscopy, X-ray diffraction and mechanical and thermal analysis.
A preliminary assessment of irradiation performance will be undertaken using facilities such as the UK National Ion Beam Centre. Thermal-stability under high-heat flux loading will also be assessed using standard furnace heat-treatments (available at both the University of Sheffield and UKAEA), as well as testing using the HIVE (Heating by Induction to Verify Extremes) testing facility, housed at UKAEA.
In addition to their CDT cohort, the PhD student will be a member of the Nuclear and Metallurgy research groups. The student will therefore not only be supported by experts in MCA design, development and characterisation, but have the added benefit of belonging to a large, supportive, research community, enabling the development of communication skills through delivering talks at group meetings, and networking, collaboration and access to a wealth of knowledge and training in a wide range of areas.
The Centre for Doctoral Training in Advanced Metallic Systems is a partnership between industry and the Universities of Sheffield, Manchester and I-Form Advanced Manufacturing Centre, Dublin. CDT students undertake a 4-year doctorate with an in-depth compulsory technical and professional skills training programme. Please review our training programme, application process and full entry requirements at www.metallicscdt.co.uk.
Please note, application is only via the University of Sheffield (see website), and general enquiries can be made to the CDT ([Email Address Removed]).
For more information on the research scope of the project please contact Amy Gandy at [Email Address Removed]
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