Nuclear Materials Science

Concerns around climate change and the drive to net-zero carbon energy have led to a nuclear renaissance in many countries and, since the publication of the first edition of this book, we have seen an increase in the amount of the world's energy produced by nuclear power and new plants under construction. The nuclear industry continues to warn of the increasing need for a highly trained workforce and men and women are needed to perform R&D activities in a range of areas from healthcare and radiation detection to space exploration and advanced materials as well as for the nuclear power industry. Here, Karl Whittle provides an overview of the intersection of nuclear engineering and materials science at a level approachable by students from materials, engineering and physics. Written as a textbook for nuclear materials or nuclear engineering courses, the text explains the unique aspects needed in the design and implementation of materials for use in demanding nuclear settings. In addition to material properties and their interaction with radiation, the book covers a range of topics including reactor design, fuels, fusion, future technologies and lessons learned from past incidents. Featuring animated figures, this extensively updated and extended edition also includes a new chapter on materials characterisation.

Karl Whittle obtained his undergraduate degree at the University of Kent, a masters from the University of Aberdeen, and PhD from The Open University. After completing his PhD he undertook postdoctoral appointments at the universities of Bristol, Cambridge and Sheffield, researching amorphous materials, and nuclear waste options. He then moved to the Australia Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO), where he led research into the effects on materials of radiation damage. In 2012 he moved back the UK as a Senior Lecturer in nuclear materials at the University of Sheffield, and in 2015 he moved to the University of Liverpool as the Chair in nuclear engineering. Over the years he has developed international research links, and has active collaborations across the world.