Ceramic matrix composites in fission and fusion energy applications

Abstract

Ceramic matrix composites are key enabling materials for various advanced energy systems. Silicon carbide (SiC) continuous fiber-reinforced SiC matrix composites are considered particularly attractive and promising for nuclear energy and future fusion energy due to the inherent high temperature strength, chemical inertness, exceptional irradiation tolerance, and favorable nuclear properties of SiC itself, and the damage tolerance and predictable strength properties added by the composite structure. The deemed application of SiC-based composites is not limited to advanced energy concepts but also adding revolutionarily enhanced accident tolerance to the current fleet of light water reactors. Carbon fiber composites are also useful for advanced reactors because of the outstanding high temperature capability and reasonable irradiation tolerance. However, these applications demand materials of extremely high reliability in harsh operating conditions, imposing significant challenges for the emerging materials to be qualified and deployed. This chapter provides a review on the irradiation effects, the most critical technical issue for nuclear materials, on the SiC and carbon fiber composites in relation with the methods of composite synthesis, overviews of the potential applications of these materials in fusion energy systems and both current and advanced nuclear reactors, and then finally a summary of prospects and the opportunities of research and development.