GENESIS : Study and Nanoanalysis of Irradiation Effects Group

Project presentation

GENESIS is an instrumental platform for material characterization at a very fine scale. Its principal objective is to develop experimental analysis at the atomic scale for nuclear power plant materials. These studies aim at making determining technological progress in analyzing material damaging caused by neutron irradiation. The results will allow a better understanding of phenomena at the atomic scale and it will improve modelling and simulation on nuclear power plant components’ ageing. Observations at the nanoscale will allow real progress in understanding phenomena that are at the material deterioration origin.

Laboratories involved in the project

GENESIS project (Study and Nanoanalysis of Irradiation Effects Group) brings together the unique skills brings of three laboratories specializing in the study of structural materials of current nuclear reactors and possible future nuclear reactor generations. This consortium of scientific and technical skills brings together the following laboratories: the Groupe de Physique des Matériaux, the Commissariat à Énergie Atomique et aux Énergies Alternatives and the Centre de recherche sur les Ions, les MAtériaux et la Photonique.

Research topics

Materials ageing: Generation II and III reactors

  • Vessel steels: Understanding the ageing mechanismes of low-alloy steels under irradiation in order to predict microstructural evolution under irradiation and predict the longevity of materials. 
  • Internal structures: Study of the defect formation mechanisms, segregation and phase transformations under irradiation to understand mechanisms involved in Irradiation Assisted Stress Corrosion Cracking.
  • Primary circuit: Thermal ageing of Duplex steels (austenic-ferritic).

Development of new materials : Generation IV and ITER reactors

  • ODS (Oxide Dispersion-Strengthened) steels produced by powder metallurgy: links betweekn production and microstructures, understanding the mechanisms of nano-oxides, precipitation mechanisms, microstructural evolution under irradiation.
  • High Cr ferritic-martensitic steels for Gen IV: understanding the role of solutes  (Si, Ni, Mo...) in phase transformations.
  • Ultrafine grained materials: Development of materials more resistant to irradiation thanks to nanostructuration.

Funding

The GENESIS project was winner in 2011 of the "Equipements d'excellence" (EQUIPEX) call for projects of the ANR "Programme d'Investissement d'Avenir" (ANR-11-EQPX-0020). The EQUIPEX GENESIS program ended on 12/31/2021.