Material science researchers at Rosatom, Russia’s umbrella for nuclear energy companies, have used local raw material to develop composite paste for the 3D printing of silicon carbide based ceramics to be used in the next generation of nuclear reactors, Scientific Russia reported.

Specialists at NIIGrafit, which is part of Rosatom’s Science & Innovation research division, are also working on a special 3D printer to make the most of the new paste. 3D printed products made with the use of the novel material are expected to be “second in their properties to none of their analogs developed with conventional techniques.”