Bimetallic functionally graded materials for high-temperature corrosion resistance

In the face of a global energy crisis, next-generation nuclear reactors are required to be more efficient, cost-com- petitive, and capable of providing a sustainable energy supply for the changing needs of a growing population. In concrete terms, these goals mean developing reactors that operate at increased temperatures without sacrificing safety, keeping costs low, and preventing proliferation and physical resistance vulnerabilities. These increased operating temperatures, however, drive accelerated failure of the engineering materials used in reactor construc- tion, and therefore remain out of reach for today’s materials technology. Broadly, the overarching objective for this Small Business Innovation Research effort is to evaluate the potential for improved reactor integrity by additively manufacturing S31600 high alloy steel (S316) and N06625 nickel super alloy (Ni 625) with enhanced strength and durability. The innovation driving this proposal comes from recent pro- gress in the engineering of functionally graded materials made with metal additive manufacturing, which use re- peated geometric patterns to enhance an engineered products’ performance. In Phase I of this effort, the team proposes to design and validate a functionally graded bimetal compatible with today’s metal additive manufacturing equipment and quantify its thermomechanical resilience. The technical data will directly inform a supporting computational design workflow for prototype iteration and improvement. At the completion of Phase I, the team anticipates having an advanced engineering material for service in next-genera- tion nuclear energy systems to be prototyped in further Phase II tests. If the technology is shown to be feasible, the team will commercialize an advanced material solution that reduces barriers currently preventing development of next-generation nuclear reactors by increasing high-temperature cor- rosion resistance. Specifically, the proposed technology will be used to fabricate components or subsystems such as heat exchangers, directly enabling more efficient energy generation. While heat exchangers are the initial com- mercial focus, the team remains open to additional customer-driven market opportunities to maximize commercial success. The public will benefit by an increase in a safe, durable, domestic power supply without the production of carbon dioxide emitting resources, which ensures a low-cost and abundant source of energy essential for maintaining the quality of life experienced by today’s citizens. Moreover, commercial success will lead to the creation of new advanced manufacturing jobs at the early stages of a nascent energy technology, and generation of signif- icant revenues from a global market. Finally, customers –nuclear energy service providers – will benefit from ac- cess to next-generation energy sources.