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Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Division Spotlight
Radiation Protection & Shielding
The Radiation Protection and Shielding Division is developing and promoting radiation protection and shielding aspects of nuclear science and technology — including interaction of nuclear radiation with materials and biological systems, instruments and techniques for the measurement of nuclear radiation fields, and radiation shield design and evaluation.
Meeting Spotlight
Conference on Nuclear Training and Education: A Biennial International Forum (CONTE 2025)
February 3–6, 2025
Amelia Island, FL|Omni Amelia Island Resort
Standards Program
The Standards Committee is responsible for the development and maintenance of voluntary consensus standards that address the design, analysis, and operation of components, systems, and facilities related to the application of nuclear science and technology. Find out What’s New, check out the Standards Store, or Get Involved today!
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Nuclear Science and Engineering
February 2025
Nuclear Technology
January 2025
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Reboot: Nuclear needs a success . . . anywhere
The media have gleefully resurrected the language of a past nuclear renaissance. Beyond the hype and PR, many people in the nuclear community are taking a more measured view of conditions that could lead to new construction: data center demand, the proliferation of new reactor designs and start-ups, and the sudden ascendance of nuclear energy as the power source everyone wants—or wants to talk about.
Once built, large nuclear reactors can provide clean power for at least 80 years—outlasting 10 to 20 presidential administrations. Smaller reactors can provide heat and power outputs tailored to an end user’s needs. With all the new attention, are we any closer to getting past persistent supply chain and workforce issues and building these new plants? And what will the election of Donald Trump to a second term as president mean for nuclear?
As usual, there are more questions than answers, and most come down to money. Several developers are engaging with the Nuclear Regulatory Commission or have already applied for a license, certification, or permit. But designs without paying customers won’t get built. So where are the customers, and what will it take for them to commit?
Don M. Parkin, Donald G. Schweitzer
Nuclear Technology | Volume 22 | Number 1 | April 1974 | Pages 108-114
Technical Paper | Fusion Reactor Materials / Material | doi.org/10.13182/NT74-A16279
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
Multifilamentary composite wires of Nb Ti and Nb3Sn have been irradiated at 60 ± 5°C with fast neutrons to fluences of 6 × 1019 n/cm2. Measurements of the superconducting critical current, Ic , as a function of transverse field show that the NbTi wires are only moderately affected by neutron irradiation. At a fluence of 6 × 1019 n/cm2, Ic (40 kG) is 82% of the unirradiated value. The Nb3Sn composites undergo a catastrophic reduction in Ic with an apparent threshold at a fluence of 2 to 3 × 1018 n/cm2. Between 2 to 3 × 1018 and 1.1 × 1019 n/cm2, Ic (40 kG) has been reduced to 4% of the unirradiated value. At a fluence of 6×1019 n/cm2, the upper critical field of Nb3Sn has been reduced from 240 kG to 9 ± 0.5 kG. The corresponding Tc has been decreased from 16.4 to 6°K. Annealing of Nb3Sn samples irradiated to 1.1 × 1019 n/cm2 produces only 19% recovery in Ic after h at 400°C.
