Project.

WP1 aims at the radical performance enhancement of SiC/SiC composite ATF cladding materials by following an application-driven, multiscale material tailoring approach that targets certain material limitations, such as coolant (water, steam) compatibility & radiation swelling.

The approaches used to achieve the ambitious objectives of WP1 include grain boundary engineering, doping, and radical modification of the fibre/matrix interface to improve radiation tolerance and steam oxidation resistance.

WP2 aims at the development of protective outer coatings that can improve the compatibility of SiC/SiC composite ATF cladding materials with the coolant (water & steam) by preventing the formation of silica (SiO₂).

The formation of SiO₂ (main SiC oxidation product) is undesirable as its high solubility in water accounts for material losses under nominal operation conditions. Moreover, molten SiO₂ reacts with SiC producing gaseous species and fast material degradation in steam (severe accident conditions).

WP3 focuses on the joining of SiC/SiC composite ATF cladding materials and the mechanical testing of the produced joints, which will be online monitored by digital image correlation.

The joining approaches will be established on ‘reference’ SiC/SiC composite ATF claddings made wither by chemical vapour infiltration (CVI) or liquid phase sintering (LPS), and will be transferred to the proof-of-concept SiC/SiC composites produced in the project.

WP4 targets primarily the detailed characterisation of as-fabricated and tested (aqueous corrosion, steam oxidation, ion/proton irradiation) proof-of-concept SiC/SiC composites & joints.

The detailed characterisation – also referred to as post-irradiation examination (PIE) – of neutron-irradiated SiC-based materials remains in WP7.

WP5 assesses systematically the overly important compatibility of the proof-of-concept materials (SiC/SiC composites & joints thereof) with water and steam.

Material compatibility with water will be assessed via aqueous corrosion tests, while material compatibility with steam will be assessed via dedicated (isothermal, transient) high-temperature steam oxidation tests.

WP6 uses ions/protons for accelerated screening of the proof-of-concept materials (SiC/SiC composites & joints thereof) in terms of their stability under irradiation.

The MIAMI-2 facility will be used for in-situ ion irradiation experiments in the transmission electron microscope (TEM), thus allowing ‘live’ monitoring of radiation-induced damage on the nanoscale under nominal and transient/accident scenarios.

An IAC (irradiation-accelerated corrosion) cell will be used for synergistic proton irradiation/aqueous corrosion experiments on proof-of-concept materials for a more accurate prediction of their in-service material performance.

The main aim of WP7 is to perform advanced post-irradiation examination (PIE) on SiC/SiC composite ATF cladding materials irradiated in the BR2 test reactor (located at SCK CEN, Belgium) in the framework of the H2020 IL TROVATORE project.

Moreover, WP7 establishes a firm exchange of invaluable PIE data with the I-NERI US/EURATOM PERSEUS project, which focuses primarily on the PIE of BR2-irradiated ATF cladding materials (i.e., Cr-coated zircaloys, SiC/SiC composite, ODS-FeCrAl alloys).

WP8 targets the use of predictive modelling activities to capture the multiscale evolution of damage in SiC/SiC composite ATF claddings, thereby developing reliable tools that can predict their long-term in-service behaviour.

Since modelling can help rationalising experimental data, WP8 makes an invaluable link between material microstructure, properties and processing, thus facilitating material optimisation based on data pertaining to material performance.

WP9 is entrusted with the planning and execution of dissemination, communication & training activities, sharing project results with potential end-users and promoting SCORPION.

Dissemination activities are designed to facilitate the maximum take-up of the new knowledge for the benefit of EU citizens on all levels (scientific, entrepreneurial, etc.).

Attention is paid to the management and protection of the know-how produced in the project by promoting open science best practices, such as open access publishing, uploading of data to preprint servers, etc.

Several education and training activities (i.e., theme-specific international Workshops) are foreseen, thereby contributing to the development of competences and skills of young scientists.

Communication activities will promote the project activities by providing audience-specific information.

WP10 targets the management of all activities in SCORPION; the overall project coordination is entrusted to Prof. Konstantina Lambrinou (IIT & UoH), who is also the coordinator of the H2020 IL TROVATORE project and the European lead of the I-NERI US/EURATOM PERSEUS project. 

Project coordination includes the coordination of all R&D activities; carrying out diverse administrative and financial tasks; smooth exchange of information between involved parties; effective handling of problems (administrative, financial, ethical); and promoting dissemination and communication of project achievements to various target audiences.