NPSI LDRD PROJECTS

Science Thrust 1: Linking Interfacial Phenomena to Bulk Properties

Understand and harness the chemical and physical driving forces controlling solid phase formation, agglomeration, and dissolution in harsh environments.

• Dissolution of Spent Nuclear Fuel: An In-situ and Atomic Resolution TEM Study
  Principal Investigator: Edgar Buck

• Correlation of Colloidal Interactions and Macroscopic Rheology in Concentrated Electrolyte Solutions
  Principal Investigator: Jaehun Chun
   
• Fundamental Understanding of Nucleation Processes to Assess Solution Stability and Phase Growth and Genesis
  Principal Investigator: Gregg Lumetta

• Particle-Filter Surface Interactions and Dynamics in the Presence of Cross-Flow
  Principal Investigator: Richard Daniel

• Development of Phase Field Modeling to Predict Morphologies of Plutonium Oxalate Principal Investigator: David Abrecht

Science Thrust 2: Interfacial Phenomena Driving Chemical Fractionation

Discover and exploit the chemical and physical mechanisms controlling the formation, distribution, and influence of trace species during the processing of nuclear materials.

• Modeling the Interfacial Effects, Partitioning, and Production Routes of Epsilon Particles in Uranium Oxide 
  Principal Investigator: Richard Clark
   
• Interfacial Diffusion and CRUD Formation at the Liquid-Liquid Interface of Solvent Extraction Processes Research
  Principal Investigator: Amanda Casella
   
• Monitoring Diffusion of Actinide Daughters and Granddaughters in Metals for Chronometer Applications
  Principal Investigator: Dallas Reilly

• Ion Implantation and Characterization of Epsilon Metal Phase Formation in Ceria
  Principal Investigator: Ram Devanathan

Science Thrust 3: Radiation-driven Interfacial Reactivity

Using knowledge from Thrusts 1 & 2, advance new methodologies for linking models at different scales to anticipate problems and validate signatures in post reactor nuclear fuel processing.

• Fundamental Insights into Gamma-Radiation Effects at Complex Oxide-Water Interfaces from First Principles Simulations
  Principal Investigator: Sebastien Kerisit

• Development of a Rad AFM Capability  Principal Investigator: Greg Kimmel

• Determining Radiolytic Transient Intermediates and Interfacial Species and Their Roles in Aluminum Oxyhydroxide Reactivity  Principal Investigator: Zheming Wang

• Characterization of Radiation Induced Materials Defects Across Scales  Principal Investigator: Luke Sweet