Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference:	GR/R26290/01
Title:	The Nucleation and Growth of Catalysed Carbon Deposits On Stainless Steels.
Principal Investigator:	Evans, Professor HE
Other Investigators:	Jones, Professor I
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:	British Energy
Department:	Metallurgy and Materials
Organisation:	University of Birmingham
Scheme:	Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts:	05 March 2001	Ends:	04 May 2004	Value (£):	157,706
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:	Catalysis & Applied Catalysis Materials Characterisation
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:	Chemicals Energy
Related Grants:
Panel History:
Summary on Grant Application Form
The formation of catalysed filamentary carbon deposits on alloys used as heat-transfer surfaces in environments of high carbon activity can lead to a substantial impairment in fuel and process efficiency. Although the subject was actively studied some 25 years ago, mechanistic understanding remains incomplete, particularly on the central issue of how elemental catalytic particles (e.g. of nickel) can be produced and extracted from an alloy solid solution. This is probably because such particles are small (10 nm) and observational equipment (TEMs) at the time had inadequate resolution. It is the purpose of this proposed work to re-visit the subject using recent high-resolution equipment (HREM, ESEM) and to address the particular issue of the formation and subsequent role of metallic catalytic particles. An austenitic 20Cr25Ni steel, of relevance to UK nuclear reactors, will be used in this work. High environmental carbon activities will be obtained through the addition of 1000vppm ethene to C02 with or without 1 %CO. This difference in CO content corresponds to oxygen potentials which will or will not oxidise nickel and the variation will be used in a novel controlled manner in an attempt to prevent the formation of catalytic particles. In addition, the ESEM will be used to examine the formation of and the kinetics of the early stages of growth of carbon filaments. British Energy will make a significant contribution, both in-kind and cash, to the project.
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Organisation Website:	http://www.bham.ac.uk