P20 - National Nuclear Laboratory (NNL) | United Kingdom

The UK’s National Nuclear Laboratory, NNL, was established in 2008, bringing together the bulk of the UK’s nation nuclear research capability, and all of the civil nuclear research facilities. It is now a Government-owned company, with a mission to deploy nuclear technology to a broad range of national and international markets; to provide independent, authoritative advice on nuclear issues; and to support UK national programmes across the civil nuclear sector including decommissioning, future fuel cycles, new build, maintenance, and helping to safely extend operating lifetimes. The NNL comprises approximately 1000 staff at six locations around the country. In its role as a supplier of commercial contract research, the NNL provides tailored solutions in a number of key areas such as: Nuclear Science; Waste and Residue Management; Plant Process Support; Modelling and Simulation; Materials and Corrosion; Environmental Management; Homeland Security and Non-Proliferation; Specialist Analytical Services; Knowledge, Data and Laboratory Management.

NNL will participate in IL TROVATORE chiefly by contributing to the PIE of irradiated matter (WP8), with special focus on the use of atom probe tomography (APT) to characterise the state of coated clads and coating/substrate interfaces primarily after neutron irradiation. NNL will analyse the tips using the APT facility at UOXF, and analyse the data in the light of the artefacts produced by neutron irradiation damage. Moreover, NNL will rely on the combined use of FIB & TEM to characterise defect microstructures in the immediate vicinity of performance-defining interfaces within the innovative ATF cladding materials (WP4 & WP8).