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The University �鶹��ѡ has been awarded £800,000 to develop a small solid lithium ceramic breeder with in-line tritium detection capability for calibrated neutron sources, in partnership with Bangor University.

Birmingham’s award is part of the (UKAEA)’s £200 million Lithium Breeding Tritium Innovation (LIBRTI) programme, part of the UK Government’s support for nuclear fusion which promises limitless clean energy.

The LIBRTI programme aims to demonstrate controlled tritium breeding, a critical step for future fusion power plants. The University �鶹��ѡ’s award builds on the a recently commissioned High Flux Accelerator-Driven Neutron Facility – the first facility of its kind in the UK.

While leading one project, the University �鶹��ѡ is also involved in four other projects on small scale tritium breeding and digital simulation experiments being funded by UKAEA. Each of the projects is anticipated to run to March 2026 with outcomes expected to include new tritium transport models, the development of novel breeder materials and diagnostics, and digital platforms for the testbed facility.

• TRIMAX (Tritium reactor integrated analysis experiment, multiphysics code) with Bangor University Nuclear Futures Institute
• TRI-PRISM (tritium permeation real-time in-line sensor for monitoring) with Kyoto Fusioneering
• An experimental programme including lithium impurity control, diagnostics and irradiation testing with Tokamak Energy
• VICE (Quantification of uncertainties in tritium breeding in ceramics, manufacturing and testing) with Oxford Sigma

The UKAEA announcement comes swiftly after the news that the University �鶹��ѡ secured a multi-million-pound EPSRC Prosperity Partnership with Tokamak Energy which aims to accelerate fusion technologies by tackling critical challenges by performance-testing advanced tungsten-based shielding materials to protect high-temperature superconducting (HTS) magnets.

Professor of Physical Metallurgy at University �鶹��ѡ and the Principal Investigator for the ceramic breeder project Yu-Lung Chiu said:

“Over the last few years the University has invested heavily in facilities and research that support fusion nuclear energy. We are incredibly pleased that the University can contribute to so much of this important work from the UKAEA to further strengthen our collaboration with other universities and fusion industry partners and establish us as one of the country’s fusion hubs.”