The issue faced by the nuclear industry is CRUD (Chalk River Unidentified Deposits) buildup on the interior of nuclear reactors. This can lead to corrosion in reactor internals, leading to problems such as coolant contamination in porous deposits left by CRUD. CRUD has forced many nuclear reactors into temporary shutdown or production downgrades to try to curb this issue. My labwork would be a continuation of focus on the application of testing new substrates. This semester, I am focusing on cooking and analyzing CRUD samples. I will be learning to use a focused ion beam and atomic force microscopy to measure the strength of the CRUD-clad with different materials. This SuperUROP will analyze lab-grown CRUD samples on different substrate materials and characterize CRUD growth on each.

I am excited to hone many useful skills during this SuperUROP. I just started to see the project come together. Cutting-edge research appeals to me not only for these reasons, but also I find the work fascinating. This work has affirmed nuclear science and engineering as my prospective field of study. I wish to continue work with Professor Short, solving the world’s fouling problems.”