SUMMARY

As we develop more advanced nuclear technologies, the need for materials that can withstand radiation environments for extended periods of time will continue to grow. Experiments and computational simulations have shown that nanostructured materials with high surface-to-volume ratios have extraordinary radiation tolerance, being able to withstand high radiation doses without experiencing significant changes to their microstructures. The intent of this work is to use computational methods to examine the mechanisms that allow nanostructured metals to weather radiation damage, and to study the conditions by which this radiation tolerance can be lost or enhanced. The computational methods used will include molecular dynamics and phase field simulations. This work will focus on nanoporous and nanocrystalline microstructures and their surrogates.