NEUP DECP-25-34970: Chemo-Mechanical Degradation of Nuclear Graphite in Molten Salt Reactors

This project investigates graphite chemo-mechanical degradation in molten salt reactors and fluoride salt-cooled high-temperature reactors, addressing four research questions: 1.How does graphite chemical reactivity towards the salt change under a load? 2.How are graphite mechanical properties impacted by the salt? 3.What is the effect of salt chemistry and cover gas composition on the coupling? 4.How does chemo-mechanical degradation impact graphite components’ lifespan?

Additional Info

Field	Value
Awarded Institution	University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign
PI	L Vergari