Testing times: study assesses next-gen nuclear materials built with nanoscale 3D printing

In an EPSRC-funded project, researchers led by Dr Anton Shterenlikht at Bristol University are investigating the use of nano-additive manufacturing techniques to build tiny irradiated structures, known as micromechanical coupons, for structural and behavioural testing.

Interest in the use of additive manufacturing for building advanced Generation IV and fusion nuclear systems is growing, thanks to its ability to produce components in shapes that are not possible with traditional methods.

But the new materials must be tested under high temperature and radiation conditions before they can be used in the nuclear industry, and health and safety requirements prevent laboratory tests of macro-scale components.

Instead, researchers use micromechanical coupons to test the effects of irradiation on the structure of the materials, and then use modelling to extrapolate the results to the macro-scale.

These coupons are typically fabricated using Gallium or Helium Focused Ion Beam micro-milling, in which charged ions are fired at the sample to create the desired shape.