Manufacture and Properties of Robust Nuclear Fuels

An exciting opportunity to work in the brand-new state-of-the-art Royce Hub facility at the University of Manchester, developing next generation nuclear fuel materials for novel applications. As part of this project you will be manufacturing uranium fuel materials using cutting edge technology, and working to understand how manufacturing parameters affect the final fuel properties. Working with Rolls-Royce Submarines, the work done can lead directly to developments in industry, at a time when these materials are increasingly nationally important.

Potential uses for these include future nuclear submarines or other novel microreactor concepts. To power these reactors, alternative and highly robust fuel forms are required, beyond those commercially available at present. This project will work on developing a manufacturing route for a U-Zr dispersion fuel, consisting of kernels of UO₂ dispersed within a metallic Zr matrix for use in these environments. In collaboration with Rolls-Royce and the Royce Institute, the project will manufacture and characterise representative quantities of fuel, in order to develop a mechanistic link between manufacturing parameters and fuel performance properties. Two related projects are available, looking at both coated and un-coated UO₂ materials within the matrix.

Research will initially focus on fabrication of UO₂ microspheres (kernels) at partner institutions before manufacturing full sized fuel forms at Manchester and then characterising these using a range of leading techniques including electron microscopy (SEM, FIB, TEM), thermal analysis (simultaneous thermal analysis, laser flash, dilatometry) and fundamental materials science observations. All of the characterisation capability required is available within the Royce Institute active lab spaces, and is dedicated to uranium-based materials.

Applicants should have, or expect to achieve, at least a 2.1 honours degree or a master’s (or equivalent) in a relevant science or engineering related discipline.

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