^{Dr. Xiaoyuan Lou, John Snitzer and Jingfan Yang}

John Snitzer, Purdue University Nuclear Engineering Graduate Student, has been selected to receive the Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) award by the National Science User Facilities (NSUF). 

Through the National Science User Facilities (NSUF) Rapid Turnaround Experiment (RTE) program, Snitzer will be investigating the effects of high-temperature creep on irradiation damages of 316H stainless steel made by laser additive manufacturing. Gen IV reactors will be operating at temperatures upwards of 600C which pose a great risk to structural materials within reactors. 

Temperature is just one concern Snitzer has for these reactors. The structural materials in these gen IV reactors may be subjected to irradiation which can cause significant damage to the material. With this in mind, Snitzer plans to use the NSUF RTE Grant to investigate the relationship between the creep properties of additively manufactured stainless steels to the damages produced during irradiation.

“This is a phenomenal opportunity to work with many experts in nuclear materials science. It is a great honor to be awarded such a prestigious grant.” said John. “I am greatly looking forward to interacting and learning with these experts on some of the key issues facing the nuclear industry.”

Jingfan Yang, a Purdue University Materials Engineering student, also won a 2023 NSUF RTE award to support his proposed research. 

Over the past decade, laser-based additive manufacturing (AM) has attracted great interest from the nuclear industry, but fundamental knowledge needs to be developed before the industry can utilize it for critical components in nuclear reactors. The NSUF RTE award will provide Yang with an excellent opportunity to explore the root cause of strain localization in irradiated AM stainless steels, which is believed as a critical factor for irradiation-assisted stress corrosion cracking (IASCC).

“I am very excited and honored to receive this award and grateful for all the support from my advisor Dr. Lou, colleagues, and my family,” said Yang.

John Snitzer and Jingfan Yang’s faculty advisor, Xiaoyuan Lou, is an Associate Professor of Nuclear Engineering with a Courtesy Appointment in Materials Engineering at Purdue University.

The U.S. Department of Energy – Office of Nuclear Energy awarded 28 new proposals to support the advancement of nuclear science and technology. Approximately $1.74M total has been awarded to 19 principal investigators from universities and 9 from national laboratories. This is the second award for the 2023 fiscal year.

To read more about the Rapid Turnaround Experiment award, please visit: https://nsuf.inl.gov/Home/Article/96