ORIG. RUSSIAN: DEVELOPMENT OF HEAT-RESISTANT MG-BE ALLOYS AS A CLADDING MATERIAL FOR FUEL ELEMENTS

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CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8
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RIPPUB
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U
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21
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December 22, 2016
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August 12, 2009
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39
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Publication Date: 
May 1, 1964
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STUDY
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Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 In this case beryllium can be added into magnesium at the temperatures near the boiling point of magnesium. After melting and a subsequent rapid cooling of the alloy to the temperature of casting, the alloy pouring takes pla- ce in the air without any protective fluxes. The optimum technology of the preparation of the alloy in closed cru- cibles consists in melting of an alloy at 1000-1050?C and casting it at 720-750?C with minimum time-delay at these temperatures. Thus the ingots of 15-20 kg containing 0.09-0.20 % weight of beryllium can be obtained (M$ -4 alloy) /3/ Mg-Be alloys containing aluminium, calcium, silicon and thorium as a third component were obtained by means of this method. Investigations of effectiveness of introducing beryllium into liquid magnesium from different alloys sho- wed that the double Si-Be alloy is most acceptible in this case. Mg-Si-Be alloys thus obtained have a sufficient homo- genity of the structure and stable grain-size at high tem- peratures (Fig.I). Composition and some physical properties of alloys are given in tables I and II. The method of powder metallurgy is one of the most eco- nomical methods of preparing the magnesium alloys with a higher beryllium content. We have prepared heat-resistant powder !dg-Be alloys with 2-10% and more percent of Be con- tent (1Ik alloys) /3, 4/. Magnesium powder of the 160-50 microns grain-size with a surface oxidation less than 0.18-20% weight were used as initial materials. The total content of impurities (wit- hout oxyden) was not more than 0.2% weight. The grain size of beryllium powder was-50, microns, oxidation of the surface was 1.5+2% weight and general pu- rity was better than 99,5%. The technological scheme common- ly used consists of subsequent operations of the formation and dry mixture of the charge, of cold briquetting and hot extruding of the powder. The porosity of the specimens from leg-Be alloys obtained by hot extrusion at the optimum condi- tions is practically zero. Fig. 2 shows some specimens pre- pared of Mg-Be alloys. The composition and some properties of the alloys are given in tables I and K. Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 Composition of alloys % Be Si Al Th Fe Mn Ni Cu MgO Ca Zr weight pe o a..oy from EVE 0.5 - 0.01 - 0.04 - 0.001 0.005 0.2 - to 0.3 32 ALE-3 0.04 0.5 - - 0.01 0.001 0.001 0.005 MB--4 0.08- 0.7 - - 0.01 0?001 0.001 0.005 - - 0.15 Mg-Al- 0.04 - 0.5 - 0.01 0.001 0.001 0.005 - Flo Mg-Th- 0.04 - - 3 0.01 0.001 0.001 0.005 - Mg-Ca-Zr-Be 0.04 - - - 0.01 0.001 0.001 0.005 - 0.5 - 0.5 2. MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MR-Be ALLOYS Some properties of Mg--Si-Be alloys M E -3 9 M E -4 and powder alloys HUE -2 and HUE -5 are given in table II. The physical properties of the alloys are almost the same as the properties of pure magnesium while the mechanical proper- ties are different. The mechanical properties of powder Mg-Be alloys in main part depend upon the quantities of fine-dispersed magnesium oxi- de on the surface of particles of the magnesium powder. The fine- dispersed oxide phase in the magnesium matrix results in the increase of the hardening and strengthness of alloys with the increase of the testing temperature. The addition of the fine-dispersed beryllium phase into the magnesium metal-ceramic alloy results in the alloy additional strength although it is accompanied by some decrease of plasti- city of alloys Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 The minimum plasticity of alloys at decreased rate of deformation is observed at 300-350?C (Fig. 3). The plastici- ty of alloys increases with the increase of the testing tem- perature, but plasticity of magnesium metal-ceramic that does not contain beryllium gradually decreases. This is evidently connected with the increase of the plasticity of a magnesium matrix which in case of ME alloys consists of a satura- ted solid solution of beryllium in magnesium. It is necessary to note that the use of the methods of the powder metallurgy for preparing um Mg-Be alloys makes it possible to introduce easily the fine-dispersed magnesium oxide into the alloys and to improve their strength at the temperatures much higher the permi ssablE operating temperatu- res of usual alloys on magnesium base. 3. OXIDATION OF Mg-Be ALLOYS The results of the tests of powder alloys in the air and in technical carbon dioxide (0.1-0.2% H20) under pressure of 50 atm. showed that the Mg-Be alloys are corrosion resistant at the temperature of 5800C for more than 5000 hours if the beryllium content in alloys is equal to 2% or more (Fig. 4). The qualitative tests of corrosion-resistance of ME alloys were performed under these conditions during 12000 hours (fig. 5). The electronographic and alectronmicroscopic studies of the oxide fi lms of MM alloys showed that their structure and phase composition as well as those in the case of disti- led alloys depend upon beryllium content in the alloy, ty- pe of agressive agent, temperature and period of oxidation /1, 2/. The essential feature of oxide film structure of ME alloys as well as of oxide films of distilled alloys is their double-layer structure which is especially distinct when the alloys are oxidized in the carbon dioxide. The rate of oxidation of Mg-Si-Be alloys in the air and in the carbon dioxide (Fig. 4) slightly differs from the rate of oxidation of double Mg-Be alloys with the same beryllium content /2/. The alloys containing 0,08-0.15% of beryllium are not destroyed being tested in the air and in the carbon dioxide at 52000 for a period of more than 3000 hours. The resistance of these alloys is higher than that of alloys of Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 SOME PHYSICAL AND MECHANICAL PROPERTIES OF MAGNESIUM AND MAG- NESIUM- BERYLLIUM ALLOYS TABLE II Properties Alloys a. sical properties density t C of g:r/cm3 multing at ?20C ape- Coef- cific fici- elec- ent tri c of li- con- near ducti-expan- vity sion in Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 Iii.b.cm the in- terval m ep of 200 x 106= ~on I/degr. m Mechanical properties 20 0?C 300?C 400? C I Magnesium 1.738 650?I 4.70 25.8 18 9 9 34 5.4 2.3 46 1.8 1.4 52 0.8 0.4 60 0.4 - 1 78 -4 1.746 648?2 4.40 23.7 22 15 6 38 8.5 5 29 3.8 1.9 48 2 0.9 64 0.9 - 82 ME -3 1.742 648?2 4.40 23.6 20 13 8 36 7 4 36 2.9 1.7 58 1.3 0.7 69 0.8 - 90 LIME -2 1.741 649?1.5 4.85 23.0 26 19 5.2 40.5 12 7 14 8 4.8 16 5 3 27 2.8 49 LINE -5 1.743 649?1.5 4.90 22.8 24 19 5 40.5 11.5 7.9 12 7.5 5 15 5 3.1 26 3 - 49 Note: The samples tested are prepared hot extruded rods after their thermal treatment were tested. Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R0001 500? C Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 "magnox" type /5/. The resistance of Mg-Si-Be alloys decrea- ses under pressure of 50 atm. of the carbon dioxide as com- pared with the alloy resistance under pressure of I atm. Ne- vertheless ME -4 alloys are not destroyed under these condi- tionR for 5000 hours at 520?C or less (Fig. 4). MgO and small quantities of BeO are detected in oxidized films of y Mg-Si- -Be alloys by electronographic methods. The heat-resistance of the alloys that content Si, Al, Ca, Zr and Th depends first of all upon the beryllium content. Additions of Si, Al and Zr in quantities that are given in the Table I have no appeciable effect upon the heat-resistan- ce of the alloys, but Th addition decreases the heat-resis- tance of the alloys. Calcium additions slightly improve the heat-resistance of alloys in the air but deteriorate the same in carbon dio- xide. The protective propertives of beryllium on oxidation of magnesium-beryllium alloys are dharacterized by predomi- nant diffusion of beryllium to the surface of oxidation and formation of BeO layer in the lower layers of oxide films. This layer is low-permeable for beryllium ions and practically impermeable for Mg ions. The process of magnesium oxide re- duction by beryllium plays an essential part in formation of a sub layer. The increase of a content of BeO in oxidized films re- sults in improvement of their strength and cohesion to the alloys. Long time heat-resistance of Mg-Be alloys is determined by beryllium content despite the fact that alloys of small beryllium content (0.03-0.2%) show a lower rate of oxidation at the initial oxidation stage than the alloys that have a larger content of beryllium (Fig. 6). The value of concent- ration of Be which is necessary to provide a long time heat- -resistance of alloys substantially depends upon the techno- logy of the preparing the alloy its structure and a quantity of other alloying components in it. Thus the heat-resistance of powder alloys is determined by the dispersion of berylli- um component, its distribution and is achieved at a conside- rably higher content of beryllium in an alloy than in alloys with high dispersed beryllium prepared by a distillation met- Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 hod. Magnesium alloy corrosion resistance in different gases depends to the great extent upon the humidity of these media. This report deals with the study of the behaviour of va- rious Mg-Be alloys at the temperatures of 500-580?C in the air containing 10% of H2O and in thh carbon dioxide containing 6.5% of H20. Comparing the curves (Fig. in 7, 8) with those (Fig. 4, 6) as well as with the results given in the work /2/, one finds that the moisture has no appreciable effect upon the alloy oxidation rate at the first stage of oxidation. However destruction of Mg-Be alloys prepared by disstillation with small amounts of beryllium begins after some time of oxida- tion while at the same time only porosity and swellings appear in some places of the alloys with a some higher beryllium content. The porosity that appear under the same conditions of oxidation in Mg-Be alloys prepared by powder matallurgy is much smaller. The alloys are corrosion-resistant for a long time in damp gases and in the water vapour at 520?C. Chemical analysis of samples of the alloys tested previo- usly in the damp medium showed that the process of hydrogena- tion of the alloys takes place during oxidation (Table III). TABIE III HYDROGEN CONTENT (CM3/100 G OF METAL) IN MAGNESIUM AND Mg-Be ALLAYS Magnesium or Mg-Be After oxidation in alloy Before tbsting the air (10% H20) for 750 hours, 580?C Magnesium Mg-I 9 The samples were destroyed Distilled magnesium (druse) 13 -"- Distilled alloy (0.27% of Be) 16 86 LIME -5 alloy 20 80 The harmful effect of water vapour upon Mg-Be alloys Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 during oxidation in a damp air and carbon dioxide is probably related to penetration of hydrogen ions formed during the interaction between the water vapour and Mg and Be into the lattice of the magnesium oxide and to its diffusion to the oxi- de-metal boundary and into the metal /6, 8/. The atomic hydrogen dissolved in an oxide film and in a metal may reach the equilibrum with molecular hydrogen in po- res, cracks or in other defects of the oxide film and the me- tal since the equilibrum pressure of atomic hydrogen at con- sidered temperatures and the molecular hydrogen pressure of I atm is equal to 10-12 atm, the pressure of molecular hydro- gen in this case may reach a high value and destroy the mate- tial. A favourable effect of beryllium on magnesium oxidation in damp gas media is probably related to strengthening of oxide films and their better cohesion to the metal and the decrease of hydrogen penetration into them. Therefore in case of Mg-Be alloys the atomic hydrogen diffuses into the alloy in considerable quantities without destroying oxide films and appears in molecular stare on the defects of an alloy, and this results sometimes in swelling of the alloy. In case of oxidation of pure magnesium and 1Mg- Be alloys with a small beryllium content (^' 0.005%), the me- tal-oxide film boundary or the film itself is the weakest point of the system. These materials are oxidized with no formation of protective films. A smaller effect of nydrogen in powder Mg-Be alloys may be due to strengthening of these alloys by particles of beryllium MgBe13 intermetallide and oxide films. Ignition temperature of pure magnesium in the air is be- low its melting point and equals to 632-2.5?C ; and in pressu- rized carbon dioxide it is equal to 6507750?C (Table 1V). Ignition temperature of Mg-Be alloys both in the air and the carbon dioxide rises considerably with the increase of beryllium concentration. Approved For Release Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904ROO0100100039-8 Alloy lgnation temperature Content of bdtyllium in air CO 60 atm alloy (%) 2 - 6 32+2.5 650-750 Y) 0-09-0-15 650-3 720-750 2 66515 770-850x) 5 700?15 -"- Mg-Be (distill.) 0.5-2 - "- -"- Pure Mg Mg-8i-Be IIMB -2 HUB -5 faces of the materials makes them quite co4ipatible at tempera- samples (Table Y). Preliminary oxidation of the contact sur- ted materials and also upon the pressing force between the Mg-Be alloys, upon oxidation level of contact surface, of tes- low carbon steels depends upon the method of fabrication of Mg-Be compatibility with Zr, Zr-Cu alloys, stainless and of 580-600?C (Table Y). tanium, carbon and uranium for long periods at the temperature truction . The Mg-Be alloys are compatible with chromium, ti- above the temperature of an eutectic formation without des - 2-5% weight the alloys resisted to a considerable overheating destruction. However if the beryllium content in alloys reached diate layers of low corrosion-resistance results in the alloy ratures of 450-500?C since formation of eutectics and interme- Mg-Be alloys are incompatible with Al,Zn,Cu,Ni at tempe- MATERIALS 5. COMPATIBILITY OF Mg-Be ALLOYS WITH DIFFERENT on but the total inflammation does not take place. rized commercial carbon dioxide results in the alloy destructi- Temperature at the beginning of intensitive oxidation. Heating up to high temperature( above 700?) in the pressu- tore s in the range of 500-550?C C. Approved For Release IGNITION TEMPERATURE OF ALLOYS Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 Tested toC Time of Alloys material of test test (hrs) Zr, Zr-Cu 450 Mg-Be, Mg-Si-Be Diffusion layers Corrosion destruction up to 400 m in contact place o t (0.5-1% Cu) 580 650 1000 Steel 1 x18H9T Degree of diffusion, interaction Note 1450 1650 Mg-Si,-8e, flMB-5 Interaction was not Initial pressing force observed 15 - 20 kg/amt 520 650 Mg-Si,Be- Mg-Be Diffusion layer Initial pressing force up to 300 m 15 - 20 k9/ MM 1000 TIME -5 450 1650 Mg-Be,Mg-Si-Be 520 200 Steel 3 580 Diffusion layer 15-20m. Interaction was not Tablets of Zr-Cu alloy observed were previously oxidized Initial pressing force 1 kg/mm2 Diffusion layers Initial pressing force 0.5-1 mm Interaction was not observed Diffusion layers 1 - 2mm 15 - 20 kg/m.m2 Initial2pressing force 1 kg/mm Initial pressing force 15-20 kg/mm2. Diffusion of Ni, Fe into Mg alloys Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R0001 Tested t"C -mime material of of test test Alloys 450 1650 Mg-Be , Mg-Si-Be U 520 1000 Mg-Be Interaction was not observed Poor diffusion interaction with Sintering of tablets Ti and Cr with Mg-Be alloys takes place Impoverishment of Mg-Be h]loy in Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 3 Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 - 'i e - APPLICATION OF Mg-Be ALLOYS FOR COATING OF ROD FUEL ELEMENTS Tubes were extruded from ME and UMS alloys and used afterwards for coating of uranium rods of fuel elements of the heavy water has reactor (I, 9/. The fuel , elements of 5 mm outer diameter and 4000 mm long were coated with a layer of Mg-Be alloy that was 0.5 mm thick. Rod fuel elements, were tested for a long time in the air and in the static carbon dioxide at the pressure of 50 atm (Table VI , Fig.9). TABLE VI Test conditions Air Iatm. Commercial Carbon dioxide Coating material 50 atm. (humidity) 0.1% weight) 520?C 470?R 520?C 550?C Mg-Si-Be alloy ME -4 3000 hr'' 11000 hrx 5000 hrx 2000 hrxx Powder alloy HE -2 - 11000 hrx 11000 hrx 7000 hrxC -"- IIME -5 2000 hrX 11000 hr 11000 hrx 11000 hr' Tests are continued without coating destruction. xX Time interval before coating destruction. is clear from the data given in Table YI that powder alloy HE -5 is the most corrosion-resistant material com- pared with all other materials having been tested. As the experiments showed fuel elements coated with the alloy endure overheating in the air and also in the car- bon dioxide without destruction up to the temperature of 650?C. A decrease of the beryllium content in alloys during long-time tests is observed due to burning out beryllium during oxidation of alloys as well as to beryllium diffusion into uranium and formation of intermetallide compound UBe1-,. The thickness of the impoverished layer in distilled alloys which have a high dispersed beryllium component reaches 50p on the boundary alloy-carbon dioxide and-100 JI,t on the boun- dary alloy-uranium interface (Fig.10). It was found out after Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 testing for 1500 hours at 580?C. The impoverished layer in both cases equals to 30-40 4/ after testing for 2500 hours at 520?C. The decrease of beryllium content is less observed in powder alloys than in distilled alloys-It is explained first of all by lower dispersion of beryllium in alloys. Tests of fuel elements proved that the increase of roughness of the protective coatings under static conditions in the air and carbon dioxide at 550?C , after 7000-10000 hours does not exceed 15-20 micron and is mainly due to corrosion proces- ses on the coating surface. Tensile tests of rod fuel elements showed that providing the maximum cohesion of coating to an uranium core one may considerably improve the plasticity of thin sheets of magne- sium-beryllium layer. In this case the permissible elonga- tion of coating, which is not followed by any breakdown in its air-tightness, may reach 15-20% (Table YII) even at a low rate of elongation. TAKE YII ULTIMATE DEFORMATION OF IIME -5 ALLOY COATING Temperature of testing 250?C 30000 400?C 500?C Ultimate deformation of lIME -5 alloy 10-12% 16-17% 18-20% 20-25% coating, 0.5 mm thick Note: A deformation rate under the test was equal to 7.10-3 mm/min. The thermo-cyclic tests of the fuel elements were carried out in order to determine the strength of cohesion of the the coating with uranium, the plasticity and corrosion resistance of the coating. The tests were performed at temperatures 50Ju500?C. It was proved that protective layers of ME -4, IIME -2, 111E -5 alloys stand 600-700 cycles without breakdown of the hermeticity of the coating and without exfolia- tion of the coating from the uranium core. The roughness rises in this case up to 150,170)j and that is explained primarily by different coefticients of linear expansion of uranium and magnesium-beryllium alloys. Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 340 1 r - The radiation tests of the fuel elements in the reac- tor in the pressurized flow of carbon dioxide of 60 atm in the range of temperatures 150-'5800C and in the integral neutron f lux of 2.102b n/sq. cm for 6000 hours showed that the protective coatings fabricated from the developed mag- nesium-beryllium alloys met the requirements of the coating material used under these conditions. No corrosion or mechanical destructions of the fuel elements were observed,no failure in hermeticity.No changes were detected in the alloy structure because of irradiation. CONCLUSION Heat-resistant Mg--Re alloys containing the amounts of beryllium exceeding, the limit of solubility of beryllium are developed. Investigations of the properties of these alloys as a cladding material for fuel elements (long-time heat-resistance, mechanical properties, ignition resistance, compatibility with other materials, leak-tightness of fuel elements coating under thereto-cyclic and reactor conditions) were performed. The Mg-Be alloys be used as a cladding material for fuel elements of reactors cooled with carbon dioxide at the coating surface temperature of 520-530?C. Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 - 15 - REFERENCES I. K.A. CI1HeJILHLIICOB, B.Y. I/IBaHOB, B.O. 3eJIeHCICYIg AOKJIaA Ha 2-9 JKeHeBcico KOH( epeHLU 1 110 MMPH0My MCH0 L3OBaHK1O aTOMHo 4 axepri i, p/2153 (1958). 2. B.E. 1/IBaHOB, B.O. 3e3IeHCICI4t-I, B.K., XopeHlco, Z.A. IleTenb- ry3OB, B.B. MaTBLIeHxo, P.O. RojialIeHKO, X.O. KopHM- eHKO, A.A. KopEoB. Aoi naA Ha KoH1J)epeHW1M rio peaic- T0 Hb M MaTepMaJlaM, 3aJILii ypr (1962). 3. B.E. (IIBaHOB, B.O. 3eJleHCKLt9, C.14. 'aftep, I1. A. IIeTeJrbry- 30B. ABTOpCICOe CBLIAeTeJIbCTBO N2-K114, (1959), CCCP. 4. B.E. YIBaHoB, B.c. 3eJIeHCKM 1, C.M. (Dal~ep, B.Z. MaKcH- McHK0, C.M. )K aHoB, B.Z. CaBUeHKO. Aoit iaA Ha KoH(epeHI.HYI Ho TeXHOJIOPYILI HOBLDC peaK- TopHUX MaTepMaJloB, IIpara (woAB, 1963 r. ). 5. R. Huddle, J. Laing, A. Jessup, E. Emley. British patent No. 776649 (1953). 6. S. Gregg, W. Jepson, Journal Inst. Metals, 87,187 (1959)- 7. A. Popple. Journal of Nuclear Mater., v.8 No. 1(1963). 8. R. Huddle. Nuclear Engineering and Science Congress, Cleveland (1955)- 9. II.1/1. XpMcTeHRO, II.A. IIeTpoB, B.A. MMTporioJIeBCKUH, K.A.CM- HeJILHYII{oB, B.&. MBaHOB, B.1. 3e3leHcK1I#. AorJIaA Ha 2-i4 leHeBCKo 1 rcoH(DepeHwmYI no M14PHOMY McnoJlb3oBaHMjo aTOMHO9 alleprzx p/2053 (1958). Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 Fig. I. Structure of hot-pressed rods of :4g-Be alloys: a) M13 -4 alloy (x200); b) WE -2 alloy (x340). Fig. 2. Outward view of articles made of Mg-Be alloys. Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 100 200 300 400 500 600 MEMnEDArnYDA (?C) 0 - 1IMB -5 (Mg + 0.3% M90 + 5% Be) . 0 - Mg + 0.3i% MgO alloy tested under low rated of tension (1.6% p/h) Fig. 3. Relative elongation of the powder magnesium alloys Fig. 4. Curves of oxidation of magnesium-beryllium alloys in different gases (A P - increase in weight mg/sq.cm t - hours). Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904ROO01 00100039-8 Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904ROO0100100039-8 -1:8- Fig. 5. Outward view of the samples after testing in the air at the temperature of 580?C: 1 - non-alloying magnesium, 0.5 hrs. ; 2 - Mg-Si-Be alloy ( ME-4)9 400 hrs. (beginning of 6.1 decay) ; 3 - distilled Mg-Be alloy; 0.5% Be, 1000 hrs; 4 - LIME -0.5 alloy, 500 hrs. (beginning of decay); 5 - 1M6 -2 alloy, 12000 hrs. (beginning of decay) ; 6 - IIM6 -5 alloy, 12000 hrs. Fig. 6. Oxidation of Mg-Be alloys in the air: 1-0.16% ; 2-0.98%; 3-2.69% Be. Approved Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 340 6 A qd r0.6 r -I 9- 580C 300 400 BPEMQ, 4fCbl Fig. 7. Oxidation of Mg-Be alloys in damp air. A - distilled Mg-Be alloys; I - 0.03%; 2 - 0.16%; 3 - 0.27%; 4-0.7%Be B - IIMB alloys-, 5 - 2.5% Be; 6 - 5% Be. Fig. 8. Oxidation of Mg-Be alloys in damp carbon dioxide: I - 0.03% Be, 2 - 0.16% Be; 3 - 0.7% Be (distilled alloys) ; 4 - 0.5% Be ; 5 - 1% Be; 6 - 5% Be ( IIMB alloys). Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8 -20- Fig. 9. The view of the surface of the fuel element samples before and after testing in the carbon dioxide at 50 atm: 1 - coating before testing; 2 - coating of IIME -2 alloy, 550?C 7000 hrs; 3 - coating of IIME -2 alloy, 550?C 7000 hrs; 4 - coating of IIMS -5 alloy,550?C !I000 hrs. (x2.7). Fig. 10. Impoverishment in beryllium of the coating made of distilled Mg-Be alloy, (1.32% Be) of the fuel ele- ment after testing in C02 at 580?C, 500 hrs. I - coating - gas limit; 2 - coating- uranium ( x 200 ) limit. Approved For Release 2009/08/17: CIA-RDP88-00904R000100100039-8