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 ANS Annual Conference
May 31–June 3, 2026
Denver, CO|Sheraton Denver
Latest Magazine Issues
Apr 2026
Jan 2026
Latest Journal Issues
Nuclear Science and Engineering
May 2026
Nuclear Technology
March 2026
Fusion Science and Technology
Latest News
Fusion research tackles fuel and instrumentation challenges
Three research groups are reporting fusion-related developments, including ongoing work toward spin-polarized fusion, a new plasma diagnostic tool heading to the National Ignition Facility, and a materials science project that could impact the design of inertial confinement fusion fuel targets.
Christopher B. Azmeh, Kyle L. Walton, Tushar K. Ghosh, Sudarshan K. Loyalka, Dabir S. Viswanath, Robert V. Tompson
Nuclear Technology | Volume 195 | Number 1 | July 2016 | Pages 87-97
Technical Paper | doi.org/10.13182/NT15-54
Articles are hosted by Taylor and Francis Online.
For very-high-temperature reactors (VHTRs), the ability of structural components, specifically the reactor pressure vessel, to dissipate heat by radiation is an important design criterion. Thus, in selecting components for VHTR applications, it is necessary to measure the emissivity of all structural materials being considered. With the standard ASTM C835-06 test method, the total hemispherical emissivity of A387 Grade 91 steel, a leading candidate alloy for VHTR structural applications, was measured under four distinct surface conditions: (1) mild abrasion following electrical discharge machining, (2) increased surface roughness via sandblasting, (3) coating with NBG-18 graphite powder, and (4) oxidization in air. A detailed account of experimental methods and procedures, as well as the results of the total hemispherical emissivity measurements, are presented.