Exploring Thermal Transport in Nuclear Fuels and Materials: Insights from Experimental and Modeling Approaches

Thermal energy transport in nuclear fuels and materials is pivotal for ensuring reactor safety and efficiency. The thermal conductivity of nuclear fuels is a critical property influenced by the mean free path of thermal carriers, which is affected by operation temperature and radiation-induced microstructure defects such as point defects, dislocation loops, and small defect clusters. These factors contribute to a complex, dynamically evolving process that results in temporal and spatial variations in thermal conductivity, potentially leading to unexpected local temperature oscillations within the fuels.

Recent studies have highlighted the importance of developing advanced fuels with higher thermal conductivities to enable operation at lower temperatures and reduce fission gas transport. However, a comprehensive understanding of thermal conductivity variations in reactors remains essential for developing advanced fuel performance codes and advancing new fuel technologies. Despite ongoing research, there is a need for more detailed investigations into the microstructural evolution of nuclear fuels and their impact on thermal transport, particularly under extreme conditions.

This Research Topic aims to explore the thermal transport properties of nuclear fuels and materials, with a focus on property measurements and predictions under extreme conditions. The main objective is to advance the understanding of the fundamental science of microstructure evolution in nuclear fuels within reactors and its impact on thermal transport. The Research Topic aims to contribute to discovering and qualifying advanced nuclear fuels and materials, ultimately benefiting the nuclear energy industry and the broader research community.

We welcome articles addressing, but not limited to, the following themes:
• Thermal transport of nuclear fuels and materials under radiation
• In-reactor and post-irradiation examination (PIE) characterization techniques for thermal conductivity measurement
• Thermal property investigation of advanced fuels and novel materials (such as TRISO, HEA, and AM products) with or without microstructural defects
• Density Functional Theory (DFT) and Molecular Dynamics (MD) simulations on the thermal transport of nuclear fuels with or without microstructural defects
• Kinetic Monte Carlo, cluster dynamics, and rate theory studies on microstructural defects generation and evolution
• Tailoring microstructural features to improve thermal energy transport in harsh environments.

Article types and fees

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• ... View all formats

Articles that are accepted for publication by our external editors following rigorous peer review incur a publishing fee charged to Authors, institutions, or funders.

Article types

This Research Topic accepts the following article types, unless otherwise specified in the Research Topic description:

• Brief Research Report
• Data Report
• Editorial
• FAIR² Data
• Hypothesis and Theory
• Methods
• Mini Review
• Opinion
• Original Research
• Perspective
• Review
• Systematic Review
• Technology and Code

Keywords: nuclear fuels, nuclear materials, PIE and in-reactor thermal transport measurement, advanced fuel performance codes, Boltzmann transport equation, high thermal conductivity nuclear fuels, thermal conductivity, extreme environments, thermal energy transport

Important note: All contributions to this Research Topic must be within the scope of the section and journal to which they are submitted, as defined in their mission statements. Frontiers reserves the right to guide an out-of-scope manuscript to a more suitable section or journal at any stage of peer review.