NSUF 19-1778: Neutron powder diffraction and transmission in graphite to assess impact of microstructure on neutron thermalization
Several advanced nuclear reactor concepts have been proposed in the past few years including the Advanced High Temperature Reactor (AHTR), and the Fluoride Salt Cooled High Temperature Reactor (FHR), where thermal neutrons drive the fission reaction in a core that is primarily composed of graphitic/carbon materials. In this project, neutron powder diffraction and transmission measurements will be performed for three types of graphite materials that include nuclear graphite, carbon-carbon composites, and foam graphite. The structure factor and corresponding atomic pair distribution function will be measured along with thermal neutron transmission. The measurements will be correlated to inform the theory and simulations of neutron thermalization in graphite materials. Irradiated and unirradiated samples will be used in this work. Irradiations and measurements will be performed at the North Carolina State University (NCSU) PULSTAR reactor and associated facilities.
Additional Info
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Awarded Institution | North Carolina State University |
| Embargo End Date | 2026-02-27 |
| Facility Tech Lead | Jason Hou |
| NSUF Call | FY 2019 RTE 2nd Call |
| PI | Ayman Hawari |
| PIE Facilities | Nuclear Reactor Program - PULSTAR |
| Project Member | Mr. Scott Lassell, Manager, Nuclear Services - North Carolina State University (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8094-368X) |
| Project Member | Professor Ayman Hawari, Department Head and Sallie and Don Davis '61 Professor, Nuclear Engineering - Texas A&M University (https://orcid.org/0000-0001-8255-7491) |
| Project Notes | Awarded on 05/14/2019 |
| Project Type | RTE |
| RTE Number | 1778 |