The scope of this project is to study the interactions among graphite, fluoride salts and hydrogen isotopes in fluoride-cooled high-temperature reactors (FHRs). Some of the objectives of this project are:

1. Measuring the contact angle between molten salt and graphite for variable chemistry of the salts and graphite history (virgin, irradiated, fluorinated, with and without friction).
2. Studying the surface modification occurring to graphite when it is exposed to molten salts (with and without friction).
3. Quantifying the impact of the presence of the salt in tritium uptake and desorption
4. Developing an electrochemical technique for temperature-controlled hydrogen desorption, thus facilitating measurements on irradiated graphite samples
5. Evaluating differences in the uptake and desorption mechanisms for irradiated graphite, irradiated + salt-exposed graphite and virgin graphite.

 

SALT Group Researchers

Lorenzo Vergari

Capabilities

• Material preparation tools (Argon glovebox train for FLiBe work includes cutter, polisher, electrochemical cell, gas sparger, GCMS)
• Material characterization techniques: SEM/EDS, XPS, XRD, Raman (including high-temperature Raman), Optical Microscopy (in FLiBe glove-box train)
• High temperature cell for electrochemical techniques for gas uptake,  temperature-controlled desorption
• Sessile drop setup for contact angle measurement
• Data analysis and visualization (sci-kit learn, keras, OriginPro, CarbonX, SDP)
• Thermodynamic modeling (HSC, FactSage)

Talks and Presentations

G. Meric, L. Vergari, J. Quincey, R. Scarlat, T. Merriman, M. Hackett, “Wear and Friction Behavior of Fuel Pebbles in Molten Fluoride Salt”, MiNES conference, November 10th, 2021, Pittsburgh (PA).