Hazel Gardner
Hazel is a postdoctoral research assistant working on a joint US-UK funded project developing materials for use in next generation nuclear fission reactors, specifically molten salt reactors (MSRs). MSRs use molten salts as a coolant, which helps make them safer and more efficient than existing light water reactors. The project aims to develop a new ODS nickel alloy that can be used for structural applications in MSRs as the primary material facing the molten salt/ fuel mixture to improve high temperature strength, allowing more efficient reactor operation.
As well as working extensively with the Atom Probe group, Hazel works closely with the Oxford Micromechanics group, allowing her to explore the relationship between microstructure and micromechanical properties in a range of materials including titanium alloys for aerospace applications, high entropy alloys, and tungsten alloys for fusion applications. Hazel has a strong interest in using correlative techniques such as transmission kikuchi diffraction (TKD), electron backscatter diffraction (EBSD), electron probe microanalysis (EPMA) and nanoindentation in conjunction with atom probe tomography.
