Roadmap published for UK fission materials R&D
The interim report combines the input of 100 specialists from 34 institutions.
The United Kingdom National Nuclear Laboratory (UKNNL) and the Henry Royce Institute published the report today.
This follows the recent agreement by UKNNL, Rolls-Royce and the Japan Atomic Energy Agency to cooperate on advanced nuclear reactor and fuels technology.
The report's key findings are for:
- The urgent need for guidance on preferred reactor concepts and in-service environments to enable prioritisation of materials research
- A decision within one-to-two years on whether the UK should build a domestic materials test reactor
- The establishment of a National Materials Archive within five years to preserve irreplaceable irradiated material samples
- Long-term funding commitments of at least five years to support sustained research programmes
Four major technical themes are set out - structural materials, fuels and cladding, disposability of materials and irradiation damage.
These sit alongside six cross-cutting priorities - skills, infrastructure, funding, qualification, modelling and policy. Together, they form the foundation of a full roadmap planned for publication in late 2026.
The roadmap has been developed through an extensive programme of expert workshops, including 21 deep-dive sessions generating 190 individual contributions from 87 participants, alongside a two-day in-person cross-cutting workshop at the Royce Hub in Manchester. This was attended by 39 specialists from 15 institutions. Participants represented universities, industry, national laboratories, government and regulators.
Dr Gareth Headdock, Chief Science and Technology Officer and Deputy CEO of UKNNL, says, 'The decisions ahead - on reactor concepts, materials test infrastructure and long-term funding - are consequential ones, and it is vital that we get them right. We are determined to ensure that this roadmap translates into sustained research programmes, world-class infrastructure and the sovereign capability the UK needs to lead in nuclear energy for decades to come.'
