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A D V A N C E D M A T E R I A L S & P R O C E S S E S | J U L Y / A U G U S T 2 0 1 8 9 during incidents while at the same time matching the performance of the nucle- ar fuel rod cladding in use today. The team designed the new alloy from scratch with a diverse group that included experts in nuclear engineer- ing, materials science, radiation effects, Apple, Cupertino, Calif., are backing the project. The new venture, to be named Elysis, has the potential to reduce Can- ada’s annual greenhouse gas emissions by approximately 6.5 million metric tons. The name Elysis pays tribute to the process at the center of aluminum smelting, the electrolysis of alumina, according to Alcoa. In a statement, the companies report that the technology could be “the most significant innovation in the aluminum industry in more than a century, and marks a decisive step forward in the fight against climate change.” The venture will be based in Montreal, with a research facility in Quebec’s Saguenay region. The new technology is expected to be ready for licensing to retrofit smelters by 2024. alcoa.com , riotinto.com , apple.com . ORNL-designed nuclear fuel cladding is undergoing tests at Southern Nuclear’s Hatch Nuclear Power Plant in Georgia with additional tests planned later this year. Courtesy of Jason Richards/ORNL. corrosion, thermomechanics, and al- loy fabrication. The new cladding un- derwent testing at ORNL’s High Flux Isotope Reactor and Idaho National Laboratory’s Advanced Test Reactor, as well as the Halden research reactor in Norway. It has now been turned over to the industry for testing and evaluation. ornl.gov. ALCOA AND RIO TINTO TO DEVELOP CARBON-FREE SMELTING Alcoa, Pittsburgh, and Rio Tinto, Greenwood Village, Colo., entered a joint venture to develop a carbon-free smelting process. Alcoa is the largest aluminum producer in the U.S. and Rio Tinto is the world’s second largest miner. The Canadian government and