A NEA review on innovative structural materials solutions, including advanced manufacturing processes for nuclear applications based on technology readiness assessment

Balbaud, F.*; Cabet, C.*; Cornet, S.*; Dai, Y.*; Gan, J.*; Hernndez Mayoral, M.*; Hernndez, R.*; Jianu, A.*; Malerba, L.*; Maloy, S. A.*; et al.

Nuclear Materials and Energy (Internet), 27, p.101006_1 - 101006_13, 2021/06

https://doi.org/10.1016/j.nme.2021.101006

This paper reviewed the current status on research and development of advanced nuclear materials and the problems to be solved for getting new materials and new fabrication processes into nuclear market. The development of advanced materials solutions including advanced materials and processes is moving much faster than the actual ability of the nuclear industry to introduce them into design codes. Indeed, getting new materials and new fabrication processes into nuclear market requires many years (approximately 10-20 years) of research, development, qualification and licensing. If the nuclear industry wants to get these innovations into market for the building of advanced reactors, issues of qualification and licensing have to be addressed. New frameworks of development and licensing have to be imagined and international collaboration has to be reinforced to work on the establishment of common data platforms for validation and qualification for these new materials and processes.