Supporting Exceptional Material Durability and Stability
The nuclear energy sector is one of the most demanding when it comes to exceptional material durability and stability. There are considerations about material safety and a range of unique challenges.
With over 170,000 advanced materials available, the team at Goodfellow provides support for your product customization needs and requirements.
Challenges for Advanced Materials
We understand the nuclear fusion sector has an exacting list of requirements for advanced materials and we have experience of supporting clients to meet specific needs, for example:
The range of uses of materials in a nuclear fusion reactor, whether steam pipes, control rods, reactors and housing, fuel cladding and condensers, each part experiences very different temperature and pressure conditions and so have different mechanical, fatigue, corrosion and thermal properties requirements. The radiation produced through fusion is different to fission, decaying in a shorter period of time making it much easier to manage.
We have experience supporting customers with materials selection used in the application of the design and building of nuclear fusion reactors.
In 2022 the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) in California achieved a major breakthrough in nuclear fusion when they successfully produced more energy from their experiment than was put in, using materials supplied by Goodfellow.
Nuclear fusion operates by colliding atoms together, in turn releasing substantial amounts of energy. It is viewed by some as the future of clean, sustainable energy.
Our Product Range
At Goodfellow, we offer a comprehensive range of high-purity materials relevant to your applications, including:
Technical Solutions and Services
Working as your experienced partner in the nuclear fusion sector, we can find and supply the highest quality materials for your products. Our nuclear energy applications and innovative alloys can help you achieve unparalleled performance and better energy efficiency in building and plant design.
Alloys
Many of our alloys, particularly stainless steel alloys with metals like vanadium, are specifically designed for the building industry to provide more lightweight materials without compromising on mechanical strength.
Any weight savings that can be made in a building play an important role in creating more sustainable structures that are less energy-intensive to build and require smaller amounts of foundation materials such as concrete.
The construction of the building is not the only part of the nuclear energy industry that needs strong, durable materials. Containment buildings are often made from reinforced steels as they need to be able to withstand potential explosions in the event of nuclear accidents as well as very high temperatures.
There are also thick steel layers surrounding the reactor core as a safety measure in the event of a potential accident.
Zirconium Alloys
Zirconium alloys are often used as construction materials for reactors as they have low neutron capture cross-sections and are chemically resistant.
We offer all our alloys in a range of thicknesses, and zirconium alloys and pure materials are available in a number of different material forms to fit any construction process. We also offer very high-purity grades of zirconium containing less than 0.01% hafnium specifically for nuclear applications.
Polymers
Polymers often have very high radiation resistance and are useful for providing coatings for pipes and as manufacturing materials for O-rings for making air-tight or water-tight seals.
Polytetrafluoroethylene (PTFE) is one of the most commonly used polymer materials for pipe coatings, and Goodfellow can provide PTFE tubes already shaped in a variety of diameters to match existing fittings.
Goodfellow’s PTFE offerings all have wide working temperature ranges up to 260°C and thus can handle harsh steam environments and offer an excellent layer of chemical resistivity and protection for metal pipework.
Ceramics
Many ceramic materials are chemically inert and are highly resistant to temperature, meaning that they are widely used in the nuclear energy industry.
Ceramics can be used as the first layer of defense around nuclear reactors.
Goodfellow's MACOR® is a machinable glass ceramic popular for use in the nuclear industry. Easy to shape and machine as required, MACOR® is an excellent choice for fixtures and reference blocks for power generation, with a maximum temperature use of 1000°C.
We can also provide MACOR® components machined to customer requirements.
Why Goodfellow?
- No minimum order
- Over 175,000 advanced materials
- Supply Chain Management:
- sourcing custom materials for your needs
- Dispatched globally within 48 hours
- Materials customization:
- Custom parts for prototyping | Full product modification | Micro-machining | Microfabrication | Rolling
- Free and fast delivery: Worldwide shipping and customs clearance, to your door. All orders are dispatched within 48 hours
- Commercial arrangements:
- Call off orders | Buffer stock | Fixed and contract pricing | Discounts for increased volumes
- We help you innovate into the future.
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