Ruairi McCabe

I completed an integrated master’s degree in Materials Science at the University of Manchester in 2024. Through this, I gained an interest in metallurgy, as well as an understanding of the importance of sustainability in driving innovation. Having enjoyed my master’s project on mechanical testing and characterisation of recycled automotive-grade aluminium, I was drawn to a Fusion CDT project that fit my metallurgy background and contributed towards new sustainable energy technologies.

Structural components in a fusion reactor must withstand the diverse range of demands placed on the component by fusion reactor conditions, including 14 MeV neutron irradiation, He exposure and high temperatures. It is vital that the joins between structural materials maintain integrity during operations. There are several candidate materials that are being considered for the
UK Atomic Atomic Energy Authority ‘STEP’ (Spherical Tokamak for Energy Production) programme. In this project 9Cr% steels will be analysed in order to determine the effectiveness of novel heat
treatments and the response of the joints to irradiation. In order to achieve this novel heat treatments will be carried out ex-situ and in-situ at ISIS neutron facilities (Engin-X and IMAT) in order to assess residual stresses, microstructure and internal defects. The contour method, a lab-based technique will also be used to measure residual stresses and additionally electron microscopy will be used to analyse the microstructure around the weld. Following this characterization, ion irradiation experiments will be carried out at UoM on the welds to determine response to reactor conditions. This is of huge importance in order to determine the best heat treatments and to understand the performance of the joins in service

Supervisors

• Dr Aneeqa Khan
• Dr Anastasia Vasileiou
• Dr Ed Pickering