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Details of Grant 

EPSRC Reference: GR/R02481/01
Title: Atomistic Model of Structural Evolution of Nuclear Graphite
Principal Investigator: Heggie, Professor MI
Other Investigators:
Researcher Co-Investigators:
Project Partners:
Nuclear Decomissioning Authority
Department: Chemistry
Organisation: University of Sussex
Scheme: Standard Research (Pre-FEC)
Starts: 01 March 2001 Ends: 31 May 2004 Value (£): 191,545
EPSRC Research Topic Classifications:
Energy - Nuclear
EPSRC Industrial Sector Classifications:
Energy R&D
Related Grants:
Panel History:  
Summary on Grant Application Form
We shall study the evolution of atomic structure within graphite under various conditions (irradiation by neutrons and gammas with different energies and fluences, thermal annealing). We shall do this with hybrid 'first principles' - 'Kinetic Mote Carlo' approach, similar in spirit to the 'energy landscape' technique. Features we shall put in the model include point defects (and their clustering), dislocations and disclinations. The energetics, structure and movement of each of these features will be studied with first principles (density functional) techniques. Within the energy landscape furnished by density functional calculations we shall run a kinetic simulation of radiation damage and annealing, monitoring energy storage and release, and structural/dimensional changes. The results should be of great value in our understanding of Wigner energy and its possible release during processing or storage of graphite waste.
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Further Information:  
Organisation Website: http://www.sussex.ac.uk