Energy: ENEA joins partnership for development of advanced nuclear materials

Accelerating the development, production and qualification of new nuclear materials for innovative reactors by integrating modern digital technologies and sound scientific practices is the goal of the CONNECT-NM^[1], 

partnership, co-funded by the European Commission and coordinated by CIEMAT, with ENEA engaged as both a partner and the Italian Programme Manager, with the tasks of materials testing, implementing a certification system and developing guidelines and protocols for critical environment testing and characterization of liquid lead materials for future Lead-cooled Fast Reactors (LFRs).

 “ENEA, engaged in the development and characterization of materials for innovative nuclear fission reactors with molten lead alloys for more than 20 years, will lead the partnership efforts in managing nuclear materials technology and databases, also integrating specialized infrastructures from across Europe,” said Daniele Martelli, head of the ENEA Liquid Metals Systems and Technologies Laboratory. “As part of the transition to Europe's climate neutrality goals, nuclear energy can play an essential role among zero-emission energy sources, and materials are crucial for the safety, efficiency, cost-effectiveness and sustainability of nuclear energy,” Martelli said.

As part of the project, ENEA will deploy facilities, expertise and skilled personnel at its Brasimone Research Center in the Tuscan-Emilian Apennines, including the RACHEL (Reaction and Advanced CHEmistry of Lead) Laboratory, a unique infrastructure in Europe for studying the behavior of liquid lead structural materials, useful for both Generation IV nuclear fission and fusion applications. Indeed, thanks to RACHEL, ENEA researchers can conduct analyses on the corrosion resistance of protective coatings, oxygen concentration in lead alloys and perform screening and qualification tests at temperatures up to 750°C to assess the corrosive effect on materials.

CONNECT-NM is one of four partnerships under the EURATOM program that brings together leading research institutions from across EU and associated countries to promote the sharing of knowledge and national resources, positioning Europe at the forefront of nuclear materials innovation by strengthening research, development and innovation (R&D&I).

The partnership is supported by the active participation of European and international institutions, which play a key role in the success of the project. The strategic distribution of responsibilities is intended to ensure that all aspects of innovation in nuclear materials-from research to development to skill building-are addressed in a coordinated and comprehensive manner.

Additional CONNECT-NM research lines include: design standardization; nondestructive testing; advanced monitoring and modeling of materials; knowledge and data management; coordination of access to European research infrastructures; training and mobility initiatives to prepare the next generation of nuclear materials experts.