Key points
A research team from the United Kingdom Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has achieved a significant milestone by successfully producing fusion-grade steel on a large scale, marking a first for the UK. This advancement has the potential to lower production costs by as much as tenfold and greatly improve the efficiency of future fusion power plants.
The NEURONE (Neutron Irradiation of Advanced Steels) consortium accomplished this feat in its inaugural year by producing industrial-scale reduced-activation ferritic-martensitic (RAFM) steel. The team utilized a seven-tonne Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) at the Materials Processing Institute (MPI) in Middlesbrough to create this essential material for upcoming fusion reactors.
David Bowden, Group Team Leader for Materials Science and Engineering at UKAEA and lead of the NEURONE program, emphasized the importance of this breakthrough:
“One of the major challenges in delivering fusion energy is developing structural materials capable of withstanding extreme temperatures—up to 650°C—and the high neutron loads required by future fusion power plants.”
These harsh conditions arise from the fusion reaction, necessitating durable structural materials to ensure the integrity of the reactor.
By employing advanced purification and thermomechanical processes, this EAF-based method provides a cost-effective and scalable alternative to traditional RAFM steel production. Utilizing existing industrial infrastructure allows for a tenfold reduction in production costs.
MPI spearheaded the trials, starting with tests of advanced high-temperature steels at the laboratory level before moving on to industrial-scale production.
Richard Birley, NEURONE project lead at MPI, remarked:
“As the only UK research facility capable of producing RAFM steel at this scale, this is a groundbreaking moment for nuclear fusion R&D.”
Dr. Bowden emphasized that the creation of 5.5 tonnes of fusion-grade RAFM steel lays the groundwork for cost-effective production of these materials for upcoming commercial fusion initiatives.
Advancing Fusion Steel for Future Applications
The NEURONE programme is focused on developing advanced RAFM steel variants that can endure temperatures up to 650°C, a significant challenge due to the behavior of irradiated materials. These advancements could also benefit related industries that require high-strength, high-temperature structural steels, such as nuclear fission and petrochemicals.
Additionally, the initiative aims to create an optimized RAFM alloy using the EAF at a similar multi-tonne scale to EUROFER 97, which is the leading European fusion-grade RAFM steel.
About the NEURONE Consortium
NEURONE is a £12 million collaboration involving UKAEA’s Materials Division along with academic, industry, and international partners. The consortium is dedicated to developing steel that can function at elevated temperatures to enhance heat extraction in fusion reactors, ultimately boosting overall energy efficiency.
Key Participants:
- Universities: Swansea, Sheffield, Birmingham, Imperial College London, Manchester, Bristol, Strathclyde Glasgow, and Oxford.
- Industry: Materials Processing Institute and Sheffield Forgemasters.
- International Partners: Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO).
Future Prospects and Industry Involvement
So far, NEURONE has produced over 50 different variants of advanced RAFM steel alloys for testing, establishing new techniques for damage analysis and gathering performance data from lab-scale material samples weighing between 100 and 400 grams.
The consortium is also looking into partnerships with UK steel manufacturers to enhance processes such as forging, rolling, and optimizing steel production parameters.
For more information, visit the Materials Research Facility (MRF) at UKAEA:
