Division of New Materials

Founded in 1960’s, the Division of New Materials is mainly engaged in the R&D of HTR fuel elements and novel materials. The division has constructed integrated and advanced facilities for HTR fuel element, including UO2 kernel production laboratory, coated fuel particle laboratory, spherical fuel element fabrication laboratory, and property analysis laboratory. It has successfully manufactured more than 20,000 high level spherical fuel elements for the HTR-10. At present, the division’s research activities are focused on the sol-gel technology of UO2 kernel microsphere, coated fuel particle, spherical fuel element, modeling of coated particles irradiation behavior and new type fuel element for the next generation HTR. Other research activities in this division involve: conductive adhesive, low temperature co-fired ceramic, advanced ceramics, organic-inorganic nano-composite. And various functional materials have become new research topics in the division.