THE STRENGTHENING EFFECT OF BERYLLIUM ON ZIRCALOY-3. Interim Report

Technical Report · Fri Aug 16 04:00:00 EDT 1957

OSTI ID:4300749

Johnson, R E; Steeves, A F

In order to increase the strength of Zircaloy-3 by alloying, four Zircaloy-3 ingots containing 0.05, 0.15, 0.35, and 0.70 wt.% Be, respectively, were cast and fabricated. A heat-treatment study of the as-cast material indicated that the proper range of hot-working temperatures had an upper limit of 900 deg C, above which incipient liquation occurred. All four ingots were successfully extruded to 3/4-in.-diam. bars from 3-in.diam. ingots at 850 deg C. The lower limit of estrusion temperature seemed to be near 800 deg C, as evidenced by excessive cracking at lower temperatares. The asextruded bars had tensile strengths up to 150% of the unmodified Zircaloy-3 value, with the actual strength of each tensile specimen a function of its beryllium content. Further hot working after extrusion apparently increases both the yield strength and tensile ductility over the as-extruded condition. Hot tensile data indicate a sizeable increase in strength over both Zircaloy-2 and Zircaloy-3 with the addition of about 0.35 wt.% Be. On the basis of initial data, it can be concluded that the material, with the exception of Zircaloy-3 with 0.70 wt. % Be, has corrosion resistance in 680 deg F water equal to that of Zircaloy-2. (auth)

• Research Organization: Westinghouse Electric Corp. Bettis Plant, Pittsburgh
• DOE Contract Number: AT(11-1)-GEN-14
• NSA Number: NSA-12-012415
• OSTI ID: 4300749
• Report Number(s): WAPD-TM-81
• Country of Publication: United States
• Language: English

Related Subjects

MINERALOGY, METALLURGY, AND CERAMICS
ZIRCALOY