Nanotube Potential Future in Nuclear Power

Abstract

AbstractThe nanotubes presents high potential of applications in nuclear power, integrating them both in advanced fuels developments nano-breeding and in nano-shielding. The carbon nanotubes may be successfully used to create fuel wires used in high temperature applications and near perfect burning generating new procedures in nuclear reactor waste management while reducing the waste by two orders of magnitude. The modified nanowire may hold various other materials as conductors and insulators being useful in direct conversion of the nuclear energy into electricity, by including in the center a sequence of high and low electron density conductors. As direct conversion structures they can handle all the required functions into a nuclear reactor or energy harvesting blanket to assure high power density, high efficiency and minimal waste. Another very challenging application is the usage of nanotube to channel low energy nuclear radiation and guide it, similar to the GHz wave-guides or to hundreds of THz optic fibers. The operation domain of the nanotubes is placed mainly in the domain of UV to X rays, being the role of composite structures or nanowire channeling to cover the gamma ray domain. The carbon nanotubes may become useful cold neutrons transport devices with directive capabilities as short bending or focusing. The theoretical approaches and simulations predicted these new application capabilities of nanowires for nuclear materials with exceptional properties.