Adrien Couet

128 Hammond Building
University Park, PA 16802

axc1019@psu.edu

Adrien Couet

Adrien Couet - Materials for Nuclear Power Group

Adrien Couet graduated with his PhD in Nuclear Engineering in the Summer of 2014. He also graduated with a M.S. degree in Nuclear Engineering from Penn State University and a B.S. degree in Physics from Ecole Centrale de Lyon, a top French engineering school, prior to joining Materials for Nuclear Power Group at Penn State. He now works as an Assistant Professor at the University of Wisconsin-Madison.

His research in the Materials for Nuclear Power Group focused on the hydrogen pickup mechanism in zirconium alloys fuel cladding and more particularly the role of alloying elements additions. During his research multiple experiments have been used:

• The hydrogen content has been measured as function of alloys and corrosion time using Cold Neutron Prompt Gamma Activation Analysis and Vacuum Hot Extraction experiments.

• The oxidation state of alloying elements has been characterized using microbeam X-Ray Absorption Near-Edge Spectroscopy at the Advanced Photon Source synchrotron (Argonne National Laboratory).

• In-situ Electrochemical Impedance Spectroscopy at EDF in France has also been used to measure the oxide electronic conductivity.

Finally, Adrien worked on a corrosion model called the Coupled Current Charge Compensation model, which was developed to better understand the oxidation and hydrogen pickup mechanisms in zirconium alloy corrosion.