Nuclear Materials

Nuclear materials include materials relevant to nuclear fission and fusion reactors and high power accelerator technologies, and closely related aspects of materials science and engineering. Processes and properties include atomic lattice defects, microstructures, thermodynamics, corrosion and mechanical and physical properties. Included are fission reactor materials, including fuels, cladding, core structures, pressure vessels, moderator and control components; fission product behaviour; Materials aspects of the entire fuel cycle; Performance of nuclear waste materials, glasses and ceramics, immobilisation of wastes; Fusion reactor materials, including first walls, blankets, insulators and magnets; Neutron radiation effects in materials, including defects, microstructures, transmutations, phase changes and macroscopic properties; Interaction of plasmas, ion beams, electron beams and electromagnetic radiation with materials. The book presents state-of-the art research in this field which is crucial to the growth and exploitation of nuclear energy.