U.S. Energy Secretary Rick Perry and François Jacq, Chairman of France’s Alternative Energies and Atomic Energy Commission (CEA) signed memoranda signaling the countries' intent to cooperate in research related to advanced fast neutron sodium-cooled nuclear reactor technologies and artificial intelligence.

Cooperation on advanced fast neutron sodium-cooled reactors will explore areas of collaboration ranging from modeling, simulation and validation to technology testing, access to supply chain, experimental facilities and advanced materials.

The sodium-cooled fast reactor builds on two existing projects, the fast breeder reactor and the integral fast reactor. The goal is to produce a fast-spectrum, sodium-cooled reactor.

Sodium melts at 371K and boils/vaporizes at 1156K, allowing a total "temperature outlier" range of 785K of heat variation between solid/frozen and gas/vapor states. This enables the absorption of significant heat in its liquid phase. The high thermal conductivity creates a reservoir of heat capacity that provides thermal inertia against overheating.

One drawback of sodium is its chemical reactivity, which requires precautions to prevent and suppress fires. If sodium comes into contact with water, it explodes, and it burns when in contact with air.

The countries also say they will work on artificial intelligence technologies to better transform data and information into knowledge and expertise.

Cooperation between the DOE and French institutions includes more than 40 agreements, memoranda of understanding and letters of intent. The DOE and CEA cooperate on a wide range of technology areas, including the fields of civil-nuclear energy, basic science, environmental management, renewable energy and energy management systems.