ADVANCED MATERIALS & PROCESSES | JULY 2026 9 collected data will support materials research for electronics, energy storage, and nanotechnology. Replacing two older systems, the new Bruker instrument brings the latest XRD technology to MIT.nano along with several major upgrades for the Characterization.nano facility. One key feature of the advanced equipment is its high-brilliance microfocus copper x-ray source, which can produce intense x-rays from a small spot size ranging from 2 mm to 200 microns. Another highlight is in-plane XRD, a technique that enables surface diffraction studies of thin films with nonuniform grain orientations. “It’s invaluable to have the flexibility to measure distinct regions of a sample with high flux and fine spatial resolution,” says research specialist Jordan Cox. mit.edu. TESTING ALLOYS IN MOLTEN LEAD Researchers at Oak Ridge National Laboratory (ORNL), Tennessee, are experimenting with molten lead and next-generation materials to reinvent a classic nuclear reactor design. Leadcooled fast reactors use hot liquid lead to cool the reactor while maintaining the speed of neutrons, a promising technique to achieve gains in fuel efficiency over traditional water-cooled reactors. Alumina-forming austenitic (AFA) stainless steel can withstand the high heat and corrosive environment of a lead-cooled fast reactor, making it an inexpensive candidate for component materials in these advanced reactors. To evaluate the alloy’s performance under these conditions, researchers are testing AFA samples in eight small “rabbit” capsules encased in solid lead in ORNL’s High Flux Isotope Reactor, a DOE Office of Science user facility that provides one of the world’s highest steady neutron fluxes for materials testing. There, the lead liquefies under intense gamma heating, simultaneously exposing the alloy to radiation and corrosion damage. Nick Russell holds a sample of aluminaforming austenitic steel, a material candidate for use in lead-cooled fast reactors. Courtesy of Carlos Jones, ORNL/U.S. Dept. of Energy. This synergistic effect provides useful data on how AFA alloys respond to intense conditions. “The rabbit tests are integral to verifying models and guiding how we engineer materials for lead-cooled fast reactors,” says researcher Nick Russell. “These insights build confidence and accelerate design decisions for future systems.” ornl.gov. STAY AHEAD OF YOUR PROFESSIONAL JOURNEY WITH ASM EDUCATION & TRAINING. EARN CEUs, ENJOY DISCOUNTS, NETWORK, AND LEARN FROM INDUSTRY EXPERTS. SCAN TO ENROLL TODAY Education
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy MTYyMzk3NQ==