Building Capabilities in Radiation Sciences

Simon M. Pimblott

Dalton Cumbria Facility

School of Chemistry, Univ. of Manchester

A £ 20+ million joint initiative between the University of Manchester

and the Nuclear Decommissioning Authority

Westlakes

BTC at Sellafield

1. Research facility for non-active engineering decommissioning & radiation science studies

2. University access to British Technology Center

• 5% of allocation for UoM usage

• 5% for academic collaborators under scheme administered UoM

“Nuclear Universities Research Consortium”

• PVC degradation by radiation

• Radiation chemistry of mixed media, especially Pu containing systems

• Production of molecular hydrogen (and the fate of complementary oxidant)

• Understanding the effects of mixed radiation fields

• Radiation induced production of corrosive agents

• Effects of radiation on cements and grouts

Research Challenges

Radiation effects on:

• Interfacial process

• Heterogeneous systems

• Humid and damp systems

• Hydrocarbons and organic polymers

• Chlorinated materials

in realistic environments i.e. under pressure & at temperature.

Research Needs

Nuclear Decommissioning & Waste Clean Up

Detailed model of radiation effectsTrack structure

simulation

Effects of physico-chemical processes

Radiation chemical& materials

modeling

ab initio theory

Experiment & data analysis

Reaction dynamics

theory

Physical infrastructure:

Mixed radiation types

Appropriate “analytic” support to allow surface and bulk interrogation

Computational facilities

Machine / electronics shop

Intellectual capacity:

Sustainable “resident” academic community

Requirements

Sources for Radiation Chemistry

Tandem Pelletron for1H, 4He & heavier ions

60Co irradiator Electron LINAC

Team target by 2010: 30 researchers

plus support personnel

• Chair Professor of Radiation Sciences

• 3 Junior Academics in Chemistry / Materials Sciences

• 6 Post-doctoral Research Associates / Experimental Officers

• 20 Graduate Students

Radiation SciencesProgramme

Free RadicalResearch

Radn ChemistryResearch

Radn DamageResearch

Materials InterrogationLaboratory

Radiation SourcesAnalytic SupportLaboratory

Surface ChemistryResearch