Prospects for accelerated development of high performance structural materials

We present an overview of key aspects for development of steels for fission and fusion energy applications, by linking material fabrication to thermo-mechanical properties through a physical understanding of microstructure evolution. Numerous design constraints (e.g. reduced activation, low ductile–brittle transition temperature, low neutron-induced swelling, good creep resistance, and weldability) need to be considered, which in turn can be controlled through material composition and processing techniques. Recent progress in the development of high-performance steels for fossil and fusion energy systems is summarized, along with progress in multiscale modeling of mechanical behavior in metals. Prospects for future design of optimum structural steels in nuclear applications by utilization of the hierarchy of multiscale experimental and computational strategies are briefly described.