Kieran Rivers

Tungsten is the main candidate for plasma facing components in future fusion reactor designs, but not enough is understood about how and why its macroscopic properties degrade when subjected to fusion neutron irradiation. Since no source of fusion neutrons exist for studying the microstructural changes in tungsten, my PhD involves using and analysing substitute irradiation sources. My PhD continues ongoing work by previous PhD students where high energy fission neutrons and self-ion irradiation are used in two separate studies which together will help explain tungsten’s change in properties.  

My supervisors are Prof David Armstrong from the Oxford Micromechanics Group, Prof Michael Moody and Dr Paul Bagot from the Oxford Atom Probe Group, and Dr Andrew London from UKAEA. The PhD project is part of the Fusion CDT, hosted by the University of York. My research is being undertaken in collaboration with UKAEA, Tokamak Energy and University of Wisconsin-Madison.