SBIR Phase II: Development of a Scalable, Reproducible Manufacturing Process for Lightweight, High-Temperature Neutron Shield

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目更广泛的影响/商业潜力是提高了商业核电的安全性和降低了成本。每年，全球轻质高温中子屏的市场价值约为1亿美元。更好的材料可以减少对安全壳内部件的辐射损害和对发电厂工人的辐射暴露，从而提高核电站运行的安全性。该项目开发了一种高温、轻质的中子屏蔽材料，用于反应堆设计、发电厂运营和乏燃料管理。该材料平台的竞争优势如下：1)它可以在比现有材料高出50%(摄氏度)的温度下工作；2)它是浇注料，而不需要挤压成型或机械加工；3)它与目前的低温中子屏蔽材料相比具有成本竞争力。主要目标是为这种新材料开发一种可重复使用的全尺寸制造工艺。这一新的材料平台将通过减少与乏燃料管理和退役相关的费用来降低工厂整体生命周期成本。这一小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第二阶段项目为核工业开发了一种高温、轻质的中子屏蔽材料。拟议研究的具体目标如下：1)确定固化前将纳米颗粒混合到液体树脂中的混合程序，以便在固化前将纳米颗粒混合到液体树脂中；2)建立混合程序，以均匀地将催化剂加入大容量零件的基础树脂中；3)通过设计模具和大体积零件的模具抽出过程来确定产品形成过程；4)确定生产的质量控制检查点；5)确定样品的特征，以确认材料特性。该奖项反映了NSF的法定使命，并通过使用基金会的智力优势和更广泛的影响审查标准进行评估，被认为值得支持。

The broader impact/commercial potential of this Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project is the improved safety and reduced cost of commercial nuclear power. The annual, global lightweight, high-temperature neutron shield market is approximately $100 million. Better materials can increase the safety of nuclear plant operations by reducing radiation damage to both in-containment components and radiation exposure to power plant workers. This project develops a high-temperature, lightweight neutron shield material for reactor design, power plant operations, and spent fuel management. This material platform's competitive advantages are the following: 1) it can operate at temperatures 50% higher (degrees C) than current materials 2) it is castable, instead of requiring extrusion molding or machining and 3) it is cost competitive with current low-temperature neutron shielding materials. The primary objective is to develop a reproducible, full-scale manufacturing process for this new material. This new material platform will reduce overall plant life cycle costs by reducing the expenses associated with spent fuel management and decommissioning. This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase II project advances a high-temperature, lightweight neutron shielding material for the nuclear industry. Specific objectives for the proposed research to scale the production process for industrial volumes by the following: 1) determine a blending procedure for mixing nanoparticles into the liquid resin prior to curing, 2) establish a mixing process for evenly incorporating the catalyst into the base resin for large volume parts, 3) determine a product formation process by designing molds and the mold extraction process for the large volume parts, 4) determine quality control check points for production and 5) characterize samples to confirm material properties.This award reflects NSF's statutory mission and has been deemed worthy of support through evaluation using the Foundation's intellectual merit and broader impacts review criteria.