Materials engineering

Synroc Sample

The Institute of Materials Engineering (IME) is a major centre of materials engineering including synroc expertise in Australia, with a multidisciplinary team of engineers, scientists, technicians and support staff.

 
The Institute plays a significant role in maintaining Australia's international profile in the field of nuclear science and technology and enhancing the sustainability and international competitiveness of Australian industry.

Recognised worldwide for its long history and experience in the areas of nuclear waste immobilisation, radioactive waste management and associated technologies, IME is the home of ANSTO's Synroc waste form technology  that is currently being demonstrated for radioactive waste immobilisation in the US and the UK.

As well as its focused research in areas such as nuclear materials, nuclear waste solutions, structural integrity and national security, IME operates facilities including electron microscopes, an X-ray Diffraction laboratory, and Nuclear Magnetic Resonance (NMR) and metallography facilities and synroc.

IME is also home to two major facilities that provide the ability to handle and fabricate radioactive materials such as those containing Uranium, Thorium, Plutonium and other minor actinides. These facilities are principally used for the fabrication of waste forms for nuclear waste immobilisation and for validating the development work done with inactive materials at the laboratory and engineering scale.

IME also works with other areas of ANSTO, such as the Bragg Institute, particularly in the area of the Engineering uses of Neutron and Synchrotron Radiation and with the Institute of Environmental Research in counter terrorism research.