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The SALT Research Group

UC Berkeley Nuclear Engineering Department

L. Vergari

BIOGRAPHY

Dr. L. Vergari graduated with a Ph.D. in Nuclear Engineering from UC Berkeley in 2023. Vergari’s research investigated chemistry and engineering of graphite in molten fluoride salt reactors. Vergari is a recipient of the Berkeley Graduate Fellowship. Before joining UC Berkeley, Vergari obtained a M.S. in Nuclear Engineering from Politecnico di Milano, a M.S. in Energy and Nuclear Engineering from Politecnico di Torino, and a B.S. in Energy Engineering from Politecnico di Milano.

PROJECTS

Graphite and Tritium Studies in Molten Fluoride Salts
Molten Salt Reactor Test Bed with Neutron Irradiation
High Temperature Molten Salt Reactor Pump Development

Google Scholar Page
ORCID Profile:  https://orcid.org/0000-0002-7548-9678

RECENT AWARDS

2023 Future Leaders Society Inductee – American Association of Colleges and Universities
2022 ANS Graduate Scholarship – American Nuclear Society
2022 Best Paper Award – American Nuclear Society, Student Conference
2021 James F. Schumar Graduate Scholarship – American Nuclear Society, MST Division
2021 Joonhong Ahn Award – UC Berkeley, NE Department
2020 Best Paper in Materials Chemistry – UC Berkeley, NE Department
2020 Young Researcher Award – Asia Pacific Symposium on Tritium Science
2019 Graduate Fellowship – UC Berkeley

GRADUATE AND UNDERGRADUATE MENTEES

C. Bruni (Lousiana State University, Chem. Eng ’26) – Hydrogen-graphite electrochemistry
A. Zenagui (École polytechnique, Nucl. Eng. M.S. ’23) – Thermo-electrochemical desorption of hydrogen
A. Bhat (UC Berkeley, CS ’23) –  Computational models for hydrogen uptake and transport in graphite 
Z. Falkowski (UC Berkeley, Chem. Eng. ’23) – Contact angle & surface tension of molten fluoride salts
J. Xu (UC Berkeley, Nucl. Eng. ’23) – XRD Graphite characterization at high temperature
N. Dominguez (UC Berkeley, Nucl. Eng. ’23) – XRD Graphite characterization at high temperature
D. Conricode (UC Berkeley, DS ’23) – Automated Analysis of Raman Spectra
X.H. Ooi (Caltech, Mech. Eng. ’23) – Contact angle & surface tension of molten fluoride salts
R. Kotni (UC Berkeley, CS/DS ’22) – Labview programming for glovebox experiments

PUBLICATIONS

  1. L. Vergari, J. Quincey, G. Meric,  & R.O. Scarlat. Microstructural characterization data for nuclear graphite samples generated during tribology testing in argon. Data in Brief, 108796. (2022)
  2. L. Vergari, R.O. Scarlat, R.Hayes & M.Fratoni. The corrosion effects of neutron activation of 2LiF-BeF2 (FLiBe). Nuclear Materials and Energy, 101289. (2022)
  3. L. Vergari, M. Nelson, A. Droster, C. Contescu, N. Gallego & R.O. Scarlat. Infiltration of molten fluoride salts in graphite: phenomenology and engineering considerations for reactor operations and waste disposal. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 154058. (2022)
  4. L. Vergari, J. Quincey, G. Meric, T. Merriman, M. Hackett & R.O. Scarlat. Self-lubrication of Nuclear Graphite in Argon at High Temperature. Tribology International, 107946. (2022)
  5. L. Langford, N. Winner, A. Hwang, H. Williams, L.Vergari, R.O. Scarlat & M. Asta. Constant-Potential Molecular Dynamics Simulations of Molten-Salt Double Layers for FLiBe and FLiNaK. The Journal of Chemical Physics. (2022)
  6. L. Vergari & R.O. Scarlat. Kinetics and Transport of Hydrogen in Graphite at High Temperature and the Effects of Oxidation, Irradiation and Isotopics. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 153142. (2022)
  7. L. Vergari & R.O. Scarlat. The impact of neutron irradiation, graphite oxidation and fluorination on tritium uptake into and desorption from graphite in molten salt environments. Fusion Engineering and Design, 168, 112627. (2021)
  8. L. Vergari & R.O. Scarlat. Thermodynamics of hydrogen in graphite at high temperature and the effects of oxidation, irradiation and isotopics. Journal of Nuclear Materials, 152797. (2021)
  9. L. Vergari & M. Fratoni.  Spent fuel management strategies for fluoride-cooled pebble bed reactors. Nuclear Engineering and Design, 378, 111189. (2021)
  10. L. Vergari, A. Cammi & S. Lorenzi. Reduced order modeling for coupled thermal-hydraulics and reactor physics problems. Progress in Nuclear Energy, 140, 103899. (2021)
  11. L. Vergari, A. Cammi & S. Lorenzi. Reduced order modeling approach for parametrized thermal-hydraulics problems: inclusion of the energy equation in the POD-FV-ROM method. Progress in Nuclear Energy, 118, 103071. (2020)

CONFERENCE TALKS

  1. L. Vergari, Z. Falkowski, X. Hui Ooi, M. Denis & R.O. Scarlat. Wetting Behavior of Molten Fluoride Salts on Graphite, ANS Student Conference 2023. University of Tennessee at Knoxville, TN. April 13-15, 2023. Presented by Z. Falkowski
  2. L. Vergari, Chemistry and Physics of Graphite in Fluoride Salts (invited talk). University of Wisconsin – Madison, April 11, 2023.
  3. L. Vergari, Chemistry and Physics of Graphite in Fluoride Salt Reactors (invited talk). University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, March 6, 2023.
  4. L. Vergari, Chemistry and Physics of Graphite in Fluoride Salt Reactors (invited talk). Georgia Institute of Technology, February 6, 2023.
  5. L. Vergari & R.O. Scarlat. Infiltration of Molten Fluoride Salts in Graphite: Effects on Reactor Operation and Waste Disposal, ANS Winter 2022. Phoeniz, AZ. November 13-17, 2022
  6. L. Vergari, R.O. Scarlat, R. Hayes & M. Fratoni. Tritium production and neutron activation of 2LiF-BeF2 (FLiBe) in Fluoride Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactors and Fusion Reactor Blankets, International Conference on Tritium Science and Technology – Tritium 2022. Bucharest, RO. October 16-21, 2022
  7. L. Vergari, M. Borrello, H. Williams & R.O. Scarlat. Electrochemical Sensors and Techniques for Redox Potential and Tritium Transport in a Neutron-Irradiated Molten Flibe Salt Loop, 242nd ECS Meeting. Atlanta, GA. October 9-13, 2022
  8. L. Vergari & R.O. Scarlat. Graphite in Fluoride Salts Reactors: Tritium Sequestration, Tribology, and Salt Infiltration, ANS Annual 2022. Anaheim, CA. June 12-16, 2022
  9. L. Vergari, A. Bhat & R.O. Scarlat. Modelling of Hydrogen Adsorption and Diffusion in Graphite Using a Genetic Algorithm, ANS Student Conference 2022. University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign, IL. April 14-16, 2022. Presented by A. Bhat
  10. L. Vergari, R.O. Scarlat, R. Hayes & M. Fratoni. The corrosion effects of neutron activation of 2LiF-BeF2 (FLiBe), TMS-2022. Anaheim, CA. February 28 – March 4, 2022
  11. L. Vergari, G. Meric, J. Quincey, T. Merrimann, M. Hackett & R.O. Scarlat. Wear and Friction Behavior of Graphite in Argon and Molten FLiNaK Salt. MiNES 2021. Pittsburgh, PA. November 8 – 12, 2021.
  12. L. Vergari & R.O Scarlat. Thermodynamics, transport and kinetics of hydrogen in graphite in high temperature nuclear reactors. INGSM-21. North Carolina State University, NC. September 27-30, 2021
  13. L. Vergari & M. Fratoni. Storage and Transportation Strategy for Fluoride-Salt-Cooled High-Temperature Reactors Spent Fuel. ANS Winter Virtual Meeting 2020. November 16-20, 2020
  14. L. Vergari & R.O. Scarlat. High-temperature interactions between hydrogen isotopes and graphite and their relevance to tritium management in high-temperature nuclear reactors. 3rd Asia Pacific Symposium on Tritium Science (APSOT-3). University of Toyama, JP. November 3-6, 2020
  15. L. Vergari, H. Wu & R.O. Scarlat. Chemical modifications of graphite upon exposure to molten 2LiF-BeF2 (FLiBe) and to the gas-phase above the salt. NuMat 2020. Ghent, BE. October 29-31, 2020
  16. L. Vergari, H. Wu & R.O. Scarlat. Chemical modifications of graphite exposed to molten 2LiF-BeF2 (FLiBe) and to the vapor space above the salt. ACS Fall Meeting. San Francisco, CA. August 16-20, 2020