UNL to receive nearly $1M from DOE to lead energy research with MIT and Texas A&M

In a July 17 announcement, the U.S. Department of Energy committed to invest $10.9 million across 13 projects to improve nuclear industry and reactor safety, performance and cost competitiveness. From that, the University of Nebraska-Lincoln will receive $979,978 to lead a Nuclear Energy Technologies (NEET) Reactor Materials project. 

The UNL-led project aims to develop advanced metal and ceramic composites, partnering with the Massachusetts Institute of Technology and Texas A&M University. They will research advanced reactor materials for piping, wiring cladding and other related structures in nuclear reactors and along the nuclear fuel cycle.

These awards “will help train and educate our future nuclear energy scientists and engineers, while advancing the technological innovations we need to make sure America’s nuclear industry stays competitive in the 21st century," said Energy Secretary Steven Chu. He added: “These investments in Nebraska advance the Obama Administration’s efforts to restart our nation’s nuclear industry as part of an all-of-the-above energy strategy.”Michael Nastasi, director of the Nebraska Center for Energy Sciences Research at UNL and Elmer Koch Professor of Mechanical & Materials Engineering, is the principal investigator for the project, Radiation Tolerance and Mechanical Properties of Nanostructured Ceramic/Metal. The work will explore the development of advanced metal/ceramic composites for improvements that could lead to more efficient production of electricity in advanced reactors.