Materials Science and Engineering plays an important role in all aspects including sustaining and providing support for Indian nuclear program and also developing advanced technologies. Materials research in BARC is done covering all aspects from ore to component. The focus of activities starts with the minerals discovered by Atomic Minerals Directorate. The minerals containing elements of interest to DAE e.g. Uranium, rare earth elements are taken up for developing beneficiation techniques/flow sheets to improve the metal value for its extraction. The metallic Uranium required for research reactors is produced. Improvement of process efficiency for operating uranium mills is done and inputs for implemented at plants by Uranium Corporation of India. The process flow sheets to separate individual rare earth oxide from different resources (including from secondary sources e.g. scrap/used products) are developed, demonstrated and technology is transferred to Indian Rare Earths Limited (IREL) for production at its plants. The technologies for production of various value added products e.g. rare earth metals, alloys, phosphors are also developed and transferred to IREL. Production of Beryllium and its components for DAE needs is done. All the requirements of refractory materials for DAE applications including neutron absorber applications are being met by research, development and production in Materials Group. Materials Group works for development of flow sheets/processes for the materials required for DAE plants/applications e.g. Ti sponge, advanced alloys, coatings using various processes including pack cementation, chemical vapour, physical vapour, electro/electroless plating. Recovery of high purity Cobalt from various wastes/scrap material has been recently demonstrated and technologies transferred for productionization.

Materials Group has strong expertize to establish structure-property correlations for the components that are used in various plants. This requires in-depth studies using advanced characterization techniques and measurement of different properties at operating parameters. These studies help in improving the fabrication routes to obtain better and reliable performance of various plant components. Corrosion degradation in operating plants is established by studies in laboratory under plant simulated and accelerated conditions. The degradation incidents in plants are analysed immediately to understand the mode and cause of degradation and remedial measures are implemented in plants to avoid recurrence and obtain design/extended life. Proactive research on material degradation modes is done to ensure trouble free operation of plant components.

Research aimed at advanced materials technologies using thermodynamics, mechanics, simulation and modelling, characterisation and performance evaluation is done. Studies aimed at understanding radiation damage in materials are undertaken using advanced characterization techniques to help in alloy development and material degradation assessment activities. Micro-engineering & process optimization for development of oxide and non-oxide ceramic materials and shapes with desired microstructure & properties is done.Generation of thermo-physical & defect property database of nuclear materials e.g., Thoria-based mixed oxides and metallic fuels; studies on Fe-Zr alloys and natural & synthetic minerals as hosts for metallic waste immobilization through modelling and simulations is being pursued.Development of novel solvents to extract the selective elements from the nuclear waste for medical applications and specific metallic values from e-waste is being done.

From laboratory development to demonstration to production

Core Research & Development Areas

1. Mineral Beneficiation, processing and flowsheet development
2. Materials preparation synthesis and processing(Pyro, hydro and electro metallurgy)
3. Production of Uranium (ingot and powder)
4. Production and fabrication of Beryllium, its alloys and compounds
5. Neutron absorber materials – boron, boron carbide and borides
6. Development of nuclear structural materials – Reactor pressure vessel materials, Zirconium alloys, refractory metals and alloys, nanocarbon, carbon-carbon composites
7. Degradation, failure analyses and life management of nuclear structural materials
8. Corrosion, high temperature oxidation, tribology and compatibility studies for nuclear plants
9. Microstructural and mechanical properties correlation
10. Novel solvents for recovery or separation of nuclear materials from waste
11. Glass, Glass ceramics, Advanced ceramics
12. Advanced materials
13. Surface engineering, Pack cementation and coatings
14. Simulation and Modelling
15. Beam processing of materials, Radiation damage studies
16. Phase transformation andequilibrium phase diagrams
17. Microstructural characterisation, 3D Atom probe, TEM, EPMA, SEM, EBSD

Technical know-how for BARC Technologies in Materials Science and Engineering areas

Sr. No.	Technology Name	Technology Code	Technology Transfer Fee (in Rs.)
1	BhabhaKavach	EG08MMD	5,00,000 + Royalty 2,00,000 per annum
2	Large-scale Synthesis of Carbon Nanotube (CNT)	CH28G&AMD	3,70,000
3	LOW-CARBON FERRO-ALLOYS (FeV, FeMo, FeNb, FeW, FeTi&FeC)	CH21MP&CED	1,00,000
4	Production of abrasive grade Boron Carbide powder (3 tonnes/ annum)	CH14MP&CED	1,00,000
5	Production of Titanium diboride (TiB2) powder and densification of TiB2 dense flat shapes	CH30MP&CED	3,63,000 + 2% royalty on annual sale
6	Production of Tungsten metal powder and fabrication of Tungsten (W) and Tungsten Heavy Alloy (WHA)	CH20MP&CED	15,00,000+2% royalty on sale
7	Production of Zirconium diboride (ZrB2) powder and Fabrication of high density ZrB2 shapes	CH31MP&CED	4,05,000 + 2% royalty on annual sale