Samuel Murphy

Dr. Samuel Murphy serves as a Senior Lecturer in Nuclear Materials and Engineering at Lancaster University's School of Engineering, where he leads research on atomistic simulation of defect processes in nuclear systems. His work bridges fundamental materials science with practical applications in nuclear fuel safety and fusion reactor development, building on prior postdoctoral experience at University College London, Imperial College London, and CEA Saclay.

His academic foundation includes:

• PhD in Materials Physics from Imperial College London (2009) under Prof. Robin Grimes

Research centers on computational modeling of radiation effects, with key emphases:

• Accommodation of fission products in nuclear fuels
• Tritium behavior in lithium ceramics for fusion breeding blankets
• Radiation damage from high-energy particle bombardment
• Development of the two-temperature molecular dynamics (2T-MD) technique

He employs molecular dynamics and density functional theory (DFT) to address critical challenges in next-generation nuclear systems, particularly for fusion energy applications.

His 2025 publications reveal a concentrated focus on radiation-matter interactions across multiple material systems. Work spans neutron effects in perovskite waste forms, defect engineering in tungsten oxides, superconductor resilience for fusion magnets, and tritium management in breeder ceramics. Collectively, these studies advance predictive capabilities for material performance under extreme radiation environments.

Dr. Murphy supervises PhD researcher Leyla Kantar and leads multiple grant-funded projects including:

• GREEN CDT: PuO₂ storage chemistry (2021-2025)
• TRANSCEND: Nuclear decommissioning science (2018-2023)
• MSI: Electron effects in radiation damage (2021-2025)
• ATLANTIC: Accident-tolerant nuclear fuels (2018-2023)

Current PhD opportunities address safer nuclear fuels and thermal conductivity degradation in fusion materials.

As a core member of Energy Lancaster, he contributes to integrated research teams tackling nuclear materials challenges. His work connects with the GREEN CDT and TRANSCEND consortia, fostering collaborations with CEA, UKAEA, and European fusion initiatives to address fuel cycle and decommissioning challenges through advanced computational modeling.