ELECTRON MICROSCOPE STUDIES OF IRRADIATED BERYLLIUM METAL

Technical Report · Wed May 01 04:00:00 EDT 1963

OSTI ID:4673260

Chute, J H

When beryllium is irradiated by fast neutrons, helium is produced by the (n,2n) and (n, alpha ) transmutation reactions. Electron microscopy techniques were used to study the nucleation and distribution of helium bubbles in several different grades of beryllium, after irradiation at temperatures in the range 75 to 700 deg C. The effect of post-irradiation annealing is also reported. It is shown that for similar neutron doses and irradiation temperatures, there were wide variations in helium bubble size and distribution in specimens of beryllium fabricated by different methods. The most satisfactory material was that fabricated from Pechiney powder by direct hot extrusion followed by annealing for one hour at 800 deg C and air cooling. It is suggested that the helium bubbles nucleate on second phase precipitates and that the distribution of this phase is strongly affected by fabrication and heat treatment. (auth)

• Research Organization: Australia. Atomic Energy Commission Research Establishment, Lucas Heights, New South Wales
• NSA Number: NSA-17-031017
• OSTI ID: 4673260
• Report Number(s): AAEC/E-108
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ANNEALING
BERYLLIUM
BUBBLES
CONFIGURATION
COOLING
DISTRIBUTION
ELECTRON MICROSCOPY
EXTRUSION
FABRICATION
FAST NEUTRONS
HEAT TREATMENTS
HELIUM
HOT WORKING
IRRADIATION
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
NUCLEAR REACTIONS
POWDER METALLURGY
RADIATION DOSES
TEMPERATURE