Georges Chahni
University of Manchester
Co-hort year: 2025
I will be starting a PhD in Metallurgy and Corrosion at The University of Manchester, having completed an MEng in Nuclear Engineering at the University of Birmingham. My past work has included research on the additive manufacturing of aerospace alloys at Airbus, work on Liquid Lithium-Tungsten
interactions under Fusion conditions, as well as work on hot isostatic pressing as a means of diffusion bonding tungsten to Fusion Steels with Sandy Knowles’ group.
My current research will focus on the development of testing methods for newly developed steels from the Reduced Activation Ferritic/Martensitic steel family. These steels are poised to form the structural components of future fusion devices, including STEP, but their high temperature creep performance remains lacklustre, limiting reactor peak temperatures to 600°C. Clever alloying and thermomechanical processing seeks to achieve an enhanced distribution of (Ti, V, Zr)-carbonitrides/ nanoprecipitates, which would in turn better trap defects and increase the high temperature creep strength, unlocking higher temperature performance under irradiation.
Transmission Electron Microscopy will be used to characterise the precipitate sizes, distribution, and number density, and mechanical testing at the fusion- relevant temperature range will then be performed to ascertain a link between the material microstructure and performance under thermomechanical loading. Additionally, ion irradiation at the Dalton Cumbria Facility will be used to study the stability of these precipitates under ion radiation–crucial to ensuring the continuity of these materials’ performance under damage evolution.
Supervisors
