The critical role of fusion-grade steel in powering the future.

In his 1982 song “Allentown,” Billy Joel said, “They never told us about what was real, iron and coke, chromium steel.” Those lyrics ran through my head as I read about the

The UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA) has made a significant breakthrough by successfully demonstrating the industrial-scale production of fusion-grade steel. This achievement, which could reduce production costs by 10X and improve the efficiency of future fusion power plants, is a major step forward in the field of fusion energy and materials science.

Fusion Starts with Steel

We often think about the physics of fusion energy, the technical challenges of plasma containment, converting fusion energy into power, and dozens of other advanced scientific items. But we forget that the essential system components of a fusion machine are metal parts and the skills required to make them in volume to the required specifications. From containment vessels or pipes, the power does not happen without very advanced plumbing.

Fusion-Grade Steel

The UKAEA, working with the NEURONE (Neutron Irradiation of Advanced Steels) consortium, has achieved a UK-first breakthrough. The group successfully produced fusion-grade reduced-activation ferritic-martensitic (RAFM) steel on an industrial scale using a seven-ton Electric Arc Furnace (EAF) at the Materials Processing Institute (MPI) in Middlesbrough. The results of this effort are a testament to the importance of collective research and development in the field of fusion energy.

We have all heard of the incredible temperatures required to cause fusion reactions. Needless to say, this was not going to be achieved using the steel we use for cars - we needed something new. Using EAF technology, the consortium enhanced the purification and thermomechanical protocols, potentially decreasing production costs by up to 10X compared to conventional RAFM counterparts. This significant cost reduction could make fusion energy more economically viable. The consortium also leveraged existing and readily scalable infrastructure within the supply chain. The MPI led the trials that enabled the manufacture, testing, and analysis of specialized high-temperature steels initially at laboratory scale, leading to industrial-scale trials in their EAF. David Bowden, Group Team Leader for Materials Science and Engineering at UKAEA and NEURONE, said: “One of the major challenges for delivering fusion energy is developing structural materials able to withstand the extreme temperatures, at least up to 650 degrees Celsius°C, and high neutron loads required by future fusion powerplants.”

NEURONE (Neutron Irradiation of Advanced Steels) Consortium

The NEURONE (Neutron Irradiation of Advanced Steels) consortium is a GBP12 million (USD15 million) collaboration between UKAEA's Materials Division, academic and industry partners across the UK, and international partners, which provide access to neutron irradiation facilities. The consortium was established in April 2023 to research, test, and develop steels that operate at higher temperatures than their conventional counterparts. Steels with higher maximum temperatures will improve the capacity of fusion machines to extract heat, which is used to power turbines and create electricity, improving the overall efficiency of fusion power plants.

The consortium, a collaborative effort between universities, industry partners, and international organizations, to develop fusion technology. The consortium consists of representatives from universities and organizations around the UK. Universities include Swansea University, The University of Sheffield, the University of Birmingham, Imperial College London, The University of Manchester, the University of Bristol, the University of Strathclyde Glasgow, and the University of Oxford. Two industry partner organizations – the Materials Processing Institute and Sheffield Forgemasters – are involved, as well as The Australian Nuclear Science and Technology Organisation (ANSTO).

Fusion Innovation

Steel is often taken for granted, it is so ubiquitous in our modern lives, but it is one of the best examples of how fusion energy development will require a robust supply chain and create thousands of derivative products and technologies that will be used for new concepts that have nothing to do with fusion, just as we saw with the technology advances from the Apollo program (silicon chips, velcro, memory foam, GPS etc.) create new industries. This is but one of the new innovations developed for fusion that will make the world a better place. Let’s hope in the future we are talking about the thousands of new products and capabilities created by the new supply chain created to drive fusion forward.