| Scope |
Nuclear energy is a critical component of a domestic and worldwide sustainable energy portfolio, prompting enhancement of the existing reactor fleet and demonstration of advanced reactor concepts. Core and structural (non-fuel) materials able to meet the operational needs of different reactor technologies are critical, prompting interest in additive manufacturing (AM). AM of nuclear structural materials enables novel geometries, deployment of new compositions, and accelerated component production with the potential to reduce fabrication costs. However, additively manufactured materials possess different defects, microstructures, and internal stress states versus their conventionally-manufactured counterparts; consequently, the performance of additively manufactured materials can be significantly different even with the same nominal composition. To fully realize the advantages of AM technologies in support of nuclear energy, the unique characteristics of additively manufactured materials must be evaluated against their service performance. Accordingly, this symposium will prioritize discussions on the impact of the nuclear operational environment (e.g. irradiation, temperature, stress) on the performance and degradation of AM materials, including corrosion and mechanical behavior. |