Project overview
This project aims to pioneer an integrated, high-throughput approach for accelerating the design and qualification of new austenitic stainless steels for creep-fatigue environments. In collaboration with the Henry Royce Institute (Manchester and Sheffield), as well as National Nuclear Laboratory, which is leading the development of the UK’s next-generation high-temperature nuclear reactor design, this project has the potential to significantly reduce the typical 10–20-year timeline required for developing new materials for safety-critical applications such as advanced nuclear fission.
The project’s success will be underpinned by three key strategic research infrastructures at Southampton:
- Combinatorial Methods for Synthesis and Screening (WP1): High-throughput electron-beam physical vapor deposition and automated characterisation tools at Materials Innovation Lab (MiL) will be employed to rapidly generate and analyse material libraries
- High-Throughput Testing (WP3): Advances in digital image correlation, available at the Testing and Structures Research Laboratory (TSRL), will enable efficient and accurate testing of material properties
- Data and Interoperability: The Physical Science Data Infrastructure (PSDI) programme – an EPSRC-funded digital research infrastructure hub – will facilitate seamless collaboration between the Southampton and Royce teams across all work packages.
By addressing critical national and international challenges, including the transition to net zero carbon, sustainable materials development, and the circular economy, the ADEQUACy project positions itself as a vital contributor to the accelerated discovery and qualification of next-generation structural materials at extreme temperature environments.
