Novel Materials Design for Future Energy System

拟议的研究旨在通过设计新的、基于材料的解决方案来提高能源供应的安全性和可靠性。我们提出了三个研究领域的项目：A)未来第四代核电反应堆和核聚变反应堆的材料；B)未来氢经济的氢燃料生产、储存和检测；C)创新织构管线钢，以提高石油和天然气运输的安全性和可靠性。*A.核能。加拿大原子能公司正在从事新型第四代超临界水反应堆的设计；此外，加拿大通用聚变公司计划在未来10年内开发出聚变模型反应堆。我们将利用微观结构和织构设计，包括晶界工程的概念，开发出材料的新型结构，这些结构具有更高的抗高温失效能力，并具有更好的热性能和机械性能，用于严重腐蚀、中子通量和应力下的环境。我们将使用从头计算来预测核燃料在非常高的温度下的结构和热性质。氢气是一种清洁和可持续的能源。通过优化高能球磨工艺和铝颗粒结构，提高铝与水反应制氢的效率。我们将开发一种基于石墨烯的新型氢气存储系统。为了提高氢基能源系统的安全性，我们还将开发和测试新型纳米结构钯丝传感器。*管线钢。加拿大的能源政策有赖于发展可靠、安全和可持续的系统来运输和分配原油和天然气。管道是这一系统的核心要素。我们的最新发现表明，钢的一些特殊织构(如{111}织构)和工程化的晶界结构可以同时提高抗氢诱发开裂和应力腐蚀开裂的能力。这为制造新一代管线钢提供了一个完全未经探索的机会，这些管线钢具有极高的抗两种主要失效类型的能力。

The proposed research targets improvements in the safety and reliability of energy supplies by design of novel, materials-based solutions. We propose projects in three research areas: A) the materials for future Gen IV nuclear power reactors and nuclear fusion reactors; B) hydrogen fuel generation, storage and detection for a future hydrogen economy; C) innovatively textured pipeline steels for improvement of the safety and reliability of oil and gas transport.****A. NUCLEAR ENERGY. Atomic Energy of Canada is engaged in the design of novel Gen IV supercritical water reactors; in addition, Canadian company, General Fusion, plans to develop a model fusion reactor within the next 10 years. We will use microstructural and textural design, including concepts of grain boundary engineering, to developed novel structures in materials that are more resistant to failure at high temperatures and have improved thermal and mechanical properties for use in environments that are severely corrosive and under neutron flux and stress. We will employ ab-initio calculation to predict the structural and thermal properties of nuclear fuels at very high temperatures.****B. HYDROGEN ENERGY. Hydrogen is a clean and sustainable source of energy. We will improve the efficiency of hydrogen production from the reaction of aluminum with water by optimizing the high-energy ball-milling process and the structure of aluminum particles. We will develop a novel, graphene-based storage system for generated hydrogen. To improve the safety of hydrogen-based energy systems, we will also develop and test novel, nanostructured palladium wire sensors.****C. PIPELINE STEELS. Canada's energy policy depends on the development of a reliable, safe and sustainable system to transport and distribute crude oil and gas. Pipelines are the core element of this system. Our recent findings have indicated that some special textures of steel (for example {111} texture) along with engineered grain-boundary structure can simultaneously improve resistance to hydrogen-induced cracking and stress-corrosion cracking. This presents a completely unexplored opportunity to manufacture a new generation of pipeline steels with highly improved resistance to two major types of failure.*********