ANS is committed to advancing, fostering, and promoting the development and application of nuclear sciences and technologies to benefit society.
Explore the many uses for nuclear science and its impact on energy, the environment, healthcare, food, and more.
Explore membership for yourself or for your organization.
Conference Spotlight
2026 Nuclear Energy Conference & Expo (NECX)
August 24–27, 2026
Dallas, TX|Hilton Anatole
Latest Magazine Issues
Jun 2026
Jan 2026
2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
July 2026
Nuclear Technology
June 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
May 2026
Latest News
INL reports findings on unusual quantum behavior of plutonium
Scientists at Idaho National Laboratory have discovered that plutonium hexaboride (PuB6) displays a type of unusual quantum property called a topological Kondo insulating state. Materials with this property are neither typical electricity conductors nor regular insulators. Rather, they have exterior surfaces that strongly conduct electricity and interiors that block electricity.
Karl Schleisiek, Jürgen Aberle, Siegfried Jacobi, August Rahn, Lothar Schmidt, Gilbert Vanmassenhove, Alfons Verwimp
Nuclear Technology | Volume 99 | Number 3 | September 1992 | Pages 289-300
Technical Paper | Nuclear Reactor Safety | doi.org/10.13182/NT92-A34713
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
The aim of the MoI-7C in-pile local blockage experiments is to ascertain the consequences of local cooling disturbances in fuel subassemblies of liquid-metal fast breeder reactors. The experiments are carried out in the BR2 reactor at Mol/Belgium within the framework of a joint program of Kernforschungszentrum Karlsruhe and Studiecentrum voor Kernenergie/Centre d’Etude de VEnergie Nucleaire Mol. The last two experiments, Mol-7C/6 and 7, performed with the support of the Joint Research Centre Ispra in June 1988 and June 1989, respectively, are dealt with. The particular objective of these two tests is to investigate the consequences of local faults at high burnup and of blockages having contact with the subassembly wrapper tube. The test sections, the performance of the tests, and the results obtained are described. A preliminary interpretation is presented.