The procedures for the synthesis of amorphous ε-FeSi/Si core-shell nanofibres by vapour transport in a CVD configuration are reported. Crystallite studies by the Williamson-Hall method show the sizes to be typically about 8.0 nm which agrees with TEM value of 7.9 nm fibre diameter with a compressive strain of about 0.04. Features in the photoluminescence of these FeSi core-shells in both visible and IR are at 410 nm, 1062 nm, 1414 nm and 1772 nm and absorption feature at 1000 cm −1 from FTIR are explained from density functional theory (DFT) ab initio calculations. PL confirms the intra-band transition whereas FTIR agrees perfectly with the band-to-band transition whose band gap energy is 0.13 eV for FeSi. FTIR also unveils inter-band transition which DFT calculation could not predict. Raman spectroscopy data confirm FeSi and nano-Si presence.

The effective management of spent fuel pool (SFP) safety has been raised as one of the emerging issues to further enhance nuclear installation safety after the Fukushima accident on March 11, 2011. SFP safety-related issues have been mainly focused on (a) controlling the configuration of the fuel assemblies in the pool with no loss of pool coolants, and (b) ensuring adequate pool storage space nto prevent fuel criticality owing to chain reactions of the fission products and the ability for neutron absorption to keep the fuel cool. In support of regulatory functions, the Centre for Nuclear Safety and Security (CNSS) seeks to perform confirmatory analysis for all potential accident scenarios that may occur in the Koeberg nuclear power plant SFP. Probabilistic safety assessment (PSA) was done using the Systems Analysis Program for Hands-On Integrated Reliability Evaluations (SAPHIRE) computer code. We present preliminary PSA results of initiating events that lead to boiling and cause fuel uncovering, resulting in possible fuel damage in the Koeberg nuclear power plant SFP.

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