Warwick collaboration spotlights sustainable fusion energy
Friday 6 February 2026
Warwick collaboration spotlights sustainable fusion energy
Two departments at the University of Warwick, Warwick Manufacturing Group (WMG) and the Department of Physics, are collaborating on a new project to develop advanced shielding materials and technologies for power generation using nuclear fusion.
By combining cutting-edge physics research with WMG’s expertise in innovative materials and manufacturing, academics from both departments aim to bring sustainable fusion energy a step closer to reality.
The six-month pilot project, funded by the UK Atomic Energy Authority (UKAEA), will test new materials and manufacturing methods to help create fusion reactors by:
- Combining boron and carbon to create new materials that can be used inside the reactor to shield it from radiation. These materials are called boro-carbides.
- Investigating advanced concrete materials to create modular reactor shielding, leading to more efficient reactor designs and simpler build processes.
The goal of the project is to identify and test materials that can help realise future fusion reactors, which generate energy by replicating the same process that powers the sun. These materials are critically important because fusion reactors work under extreme conditions, and the materials used within the reactor need to be strong, durable, and safe for the environment, as well as being able to withstand high temperatures and radiation levels.
Darren HughesLink opens in a new window, Professor of Materials and Manufacturing at WMG, said: “This is an exciting project that builds on our use of advanced concrete materials from the Coventry Very Light RailLink opens in a new window project. Using modular construction methods for reactor components and shielding will help bring forward a future of low-carbon energy from fusion reactor technology.”
It is important that the materials that are used cause low long-term radioactivity (called low-activation materials), which mean that it is easier and safer to shut down and restart reactors. This will also help reduce the amount of waste that needs to be stored or dealt with after a reactor has been used for many years.
Fusion power has the potential to provide clean, low-carbon, almost limitless energy, and if these material challenges can be solved, it will speed up the development of the first fusion power plant in the UK, and worldwide.
The work forms part of an international collaboration to develop fusion as a future source of energy for mankind's needs.
Find out more about Engineering Materials and Assembly research at WMG: Engineering Materials and Assembly | WMGLink opens in a new window
