We have synthesized a coil-rod-coil molecule based on a reactive rod block that self-organizes into a 3-D hexagonal close-packed (hcp) bundle structure in the melt state. Photo-cross-linking within an aromatic bundle yielded macromolecular disklike objects (molecular weight of 330 kDa) with a narrow size distribution that was essentially the same as that of the supramolecular bundles. In additi...

Spacer grids along the fuel assembly of Pressurized Water Reactors (PWR) maintain rod bundles arranged in a regular square configuration. The mixing vanes present in the spacer grids promote cross and swirl flow between and within the subchannels, enhancing the heat transfer performance in the grid vicinity, but also causing an adverse increase of the pressure drop in the rod bundle due the con...