Fouling, or the deposition of unwanted things on surfaces, costs the U.S. and most developed economies about 0.25% of its GDP every year. The purpose of this research is to produce fouling resistant materials that can remain stable even while in a nuclear reactor. The researchers will work to choose suitable materials that may be fouling-resistant, process them in a pool boiling facility to grow fouling deposits, analyze these deposits with a scanning electron microscope, and use an AFM to measure the nanoscale adhesion forces between a fouling deposit and its substrate. This project will help enable future researchers to build on the information gathered and determine the CRUD resistivity of materials that have not been through such rigorous analysis.

My passion lies in fusion energy, and I hope to help develop the world’s first net-gain fusion reactor. Through this project, I hope to gain experience in a more hands-on form of nuclear engineering.