SBIR Phase I: Thermal Expansion Reduction Study of Neutron Shielding Material

小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目的更广泛影响/商业潜力是实现更安全、更经济的核电。该项目将通过减少对反应堆部件的辐射损害和减少对发电厂工人和人员的辐射暴露，帮助提高核电站的安全性。此外，它还将通过减少乏燃料管理和退役的成本来降低工厂的总体生命周期成本。通过这些手段，该项目将支持继续和扩大使用核能作为清洁能源的公共利益。这个小型企业创新研究(SBIR)第一阶段项目的目标是降低一种轻质、高温中子屏蔽材料的热膨胀性能。与现有产品相比，这种材料提供的关键价值主张是独特地提高了工作温度，而不会显著增加重量或降低中子阻止能力。然而，为了使其能够实际使用，必须进一步调整材料以降低热膨胀系数，以满足反应堆设计要求。如果成功，拟议的项目将克服降低热膨胀系数的技术障碍，而不会改变其他关键材料特性，如中子阻挡能力、辐射阻力、密度和最高工作温度。如有必要，将探索三种单独和联合应用的方法来降低热膨胀系数。这些策略也可能适用于降低其他有设计限制的中子屏蔽材料的热膨胀系数。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 I project is to enable safer and more economical nuclear power. This project will help increase the safety of nuclear power plants by reducing radiation damage to reactor components and reducing radiation exposure to power plant workers and personnel. In addition, it will reduce overall plant life cycle costs by reducing the cost of spent fuel management and decommissioning. By these means, this project will support the public benefit from continued and expanded use of nuclear power as a clean energy source.This Small Business Innovation Research (SBIR) Phase I project goal is to reduce the thermal expansion properties of a lightweight, high-temperature neutron shielding material. The key value proposition provided by this material over existing products is the unique increase in the operating temperature without producing a notable increase in weight or reduction in neutron stopping power. However, to enable its practical use, the material must be further adapted to reduce the coefficient of thermal expansion to meet reactor design requirements. With success, the proposed project will overcome the technical hurdle of reducing the coefficient of thermal expansion without altering other key material properties such as neutron stopping power, radiation resistance, density, and maximum operating temperature. Three approaches applied separately and in combination, if necessary, will be explored for reducing the coefficient of thermal expansion. These strategies may also be applicable for reducing the coefficient of thermal expansion in other neutron shielding materials with design limitations.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.