Understanding the Degradation of Zr-based Nuclear Fuel Cladding

The useful life of nuclear fuel (UO2) in water-cooled reactors, and how much energy we can extract from a fuel pellet, is dictated by the degradation of the Zr alloy cladding that surrounds and contains the fuel. This is exposed to demanding environment of coupled radiation damage, aqueous corrosion (oxidation and hydriding) and mechanical load. Dr. Patrick Burr will showcase the power of combining atomic scale modelling with advanced characterization methods to enhance our understanding of the degradation phenomena, which has led to the continued improvement of Zr alloys and thereby increased efficiency of nuclear power and reduced waste production. 

The seminar will also provide a brief outline of the broader research at the UNSW Nuclear Innovation Centre, which is home to a multi-disciplinary group of 40+ researchers spanning a wide range of fields, from materials to neutronics, from law to medicine, from thermohydraulic to social sciences. 

About the presenter 

Dr. Burr is an ARC Industry Fellow and an Associate Professor in Nuclear Engineering at the University of New South Wales, Sydney. He is also the Deputy Director (Research) of the UNSW Nuclear Innovation Centre. He joined UNSW in 2015, and prior to that obtained his PhD in computational materials science from Imperial College London. His research focusses on understanding the degradation mechanisms of materials used in demanding energy applications. He achieves this using atomic-scale simulations, often coupled with advanced characterization techniques. In recent years, he has helped develop materials for fusion energy, nuclear structural materials, hydrogen-tolerant materials and nuclear fuels.