US Ampera Partners with LLNL to Develop TRISO Fuel

en.Wedoany.com Reported - Ampera has launched the "Reactor Thorium Monodisperse Droplet Ejection" (Thunder) collaborative project with Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) to evaluate and optimize liquid metal jetting technology for producing highly uniform, spherical thorium-232 kernels for use in tristructural isotropic (TRISO) fuel.

The project builds on previous PowderJet research conducted by LLNL research engineer and principal investigator Viktor Sukhotskiy and his team. PowderJet employs droplet-based liquid metal jetting technology to establish a new particle production prototype. The Thunder project's tasks include computational modeling, material and nozzle compatibility testing, high-temperature process development, particle characterization, radiation safety handling, and the transfer of scalable processes and design rules to lay the groundwork for subsequent commercialization.

The collaboration aims to achieve resilient, cost-effective, and sustainable manufacturing of advanced TRISO fuel to accelerate Ampera's establishment of a scalable and secure domestic advanced nuclear fuel supply chain.

Brian Matthews, founder and CEO of Ampera, stated that LLNL has a long and distinguished record of translating advanced science into technologies of national importance. He said that developing scalable domestic advanced nuclear fuel manufacturing capabilities is foundational to Ampera's strategy, and this collaboration is expected to accelerate the technology base needed to vertically integrate fuel supply, reduce costs and supply chain risks, and support the deployment of the company's compact subcritical nuclear energy systems.

Sukhotskiy believes that such public-private partnerships demonstrate the value of connecting LLNL's research capabilities with industry partners that have clear technical needs and commercial vision. The collaboration with Ampera enables his team to apply joint expertise to nuclear fuel challenges while continuing to advance liquid metal jetting technology toward maturity. He stated that the Thunder project shows how LLNL's early investments in manufacturing and materials science can directly lead to external collaborations in strategic technology areas, with PowderJet extending from foundational liquid metal jetting work and now being applied to nuclear fuel topics with practical commercial relevance.

Ampera is developing thorium-based subcritical microreactor systems. These systems feature high energy density and can operate continuously for up to 30 years without refueling. Leveraging its proprietary TRISO fuel platform, neutron source technology, and advanced additive manufacturing capabilities, the company aims to provide scalable, factory-built, rapidly deployable zero-emission power for data centers, defense, industrial, and maritime applications. Unlike conventional reactors, subcritical systems rely on external neutron sources to initiate and sustain operation, adding an operational control layer while also leaving room for fuel cycle innovation.

In terms of supply chain layout, in October 2025, the U.S. and Australian governments announced a framework to secure supplies for critical minerals and rare earth mining and processing. In February, Ampera established Ampera Australia Pty Ltd to accelerate the procurement of thorium from Australia and its import to the United States; in the same month, the company submitted a formal letter to the U.S. Nuclear Regulatory Commission expressing its intent to initiate the pre-application process for factory-manufactured, containerized microreactors. In April, Ampera entered into a strategic partnership with Monaco-based shipping company Scorpio Tankers Inc. to jointly develop and commercialize advanced microreactors for marine, shipping, and related maritime applications; in the same month, the company opened its global headquarters in Florida and plans to produce TRISO thorium kernels at another location in the state. In June, Ampera announced that its energy systems will use thorium sourced from Australia and produced in-house as fuel, to vertically integrate the fuel value chain.