UT secures $20 million grant for fusion materials research

Los Angeles CA (SPX) Jan 17, 2025
The University of Tennessee, Knoxville's Tickle College of Engineering has received a $20 million grant from the U.S. Department of Energy to advance materials development for nuclear fusion systems. Spearheading the project is Steve Zinkle, UT-Oak Ridge National Laboratory Governor's Chair for Nuclear Materials. The initiative, named the Integrated Materials Program to Accelerate Chamber Technologies (IMPACT), focuses on creating high-performance materials essential for the future of fusion energy.

"We are excited to embark on this ambitious program," said Zinkle. "Our assembled multidisciplinary team includes experts with a demonstrated track record of using science-based methods to rapidly design, fabricate and deploy advanced structural materials."

A major hurdle in achieving commercially viable fusion energy is the absence of nuclear-code-qualified high-temperature structural materials for reactors. The IMPACT project aims to address this by developing a comprehensive process and database to support the first-ever American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) Boiler and Pressure Vessel code qualification for fusion materials. This would pave the way for faster transitions from material qualification to practical engineering applications.

The University of Tennessee boasts one of the nation's leading nuclear engineering programs, which recently added a new minor in fall 2024. The IMPACT team includes Tickle College of Engineering faculty members Eric Lass, an assistant professor in materials science and engineering; Bradley Jared, an associate professor in mechanical, aerospace, and biomedical engineering; and Khalid Hattar, an associate professor in nuclear engineering.

This effort aligns with the Department of Energy's FIRE Collaboratives initiative, launched last year to build networks that link fusion research with industry. These collaboratives bring together government, academic, and industry experts to overcome technical obstacles in commercializing fusion technology. The DOE's goal is to fast-track the transformation of scientific discoveries into practical fusion applications.