Material Challenges in Current and Future Nuclear Technologies

Symposium A, 'Material Challenges in Current and Future Nuclear Technologies' was held at the 2011 MRS Fall Meeting in Boston, Massachusetts, November 28-December 2, 2011. The symposium addressed current questions in nuclear materials development, such as the effects of radiation damage on core materials. At the same time, emphasis was placed on research to pre-empt future issues, such as materials with applications in both the proposed GenIV fission designs and fusion reactor cores. There was also linkage between both areas of research, as the requirements for both future fusion and fission reactor technologies are often very similar. The articles in this volume are separated into four broad areas, fuel, radiation effects, corrosion, and structural materials. Each of the areas combines both simulation and experimental work, highlighting the cross-linkage between them and how they can be used to holistically develop new materials for nuclear technologies.