NucE 409 Nuclear Materials

Course Description

The goal of this course is to provide students with a thorough grounding in materials relevant for nuclear power. Students learn the relationship between microscopic damage and macroscopic behavior. This course provides a background on the types of materials used in nuclear reactors and their response to neutron irradiation. Most of the materials problems encountered in the operation of nuclear power reactors for energy production are discussed here. The objective of the course is to give nuclear engineering students a background in materials, so they understand the limitations put on reactor operations and reactor design by materials performance. In the first part of the course, we review basic concepts of physical metallurgy, to develop a mechanistic and microstructurally based view of material properties. In the second part of the course, we present the methods to calculate displacement damage to the material produced by exposure to neutron irradiation. The microstructural evolution that results from the reactor exposure (including radiation damage and defect cluster evolution, and changes) is described. The aim is to create a linkage between these changes at the atomistic level and the changes in macroscopic behavior of the material. Special attention is given to property changes that affect fuel performance and operational safety. Both mathematical methods and experimental techniques are emphasized so that theoretical modeling is instructed by experimental data. Students use the TRIM and SPECTER codes to quantitatively evaluate neutron damage, as well as learn simple analytical models that describe microstructural evolution and property changes under irradiation.

For more details see the Course Syllabus.

Current Course Offering Schedule via C&DE

Semester: SPRING 2012

Day and Time: TBA

Location: 327 Sackett Building

Start Date: January 9, 2012

End Date: May 4, 2012

This course has a  NO REQUIRED TEXTBOOK but does use the following books for reference:

Class Notes are provided as the main reference for readings.

The following two books are used for additional readings and references:

Fundamental Aspects of Nuclear Reactor Fuel Elements, D.R. Olander.
Phase Transformations in Metals and Alloys, D.A. Porter and K.E. Easterling

Also, please see the syllabus for additional reference materials used in this course.

The enrollment process is:

1. Contact the the Office of Continuing and Distance Education for admission into the course at 814-865-7643.

2. Complete and submit the Registration Form via mail, fax, or in person. See the Registration Page.