Book Description

The elements Sn, Mg, Ti, Zr, Hf, Si, Cd, and U were alloyed with plutonium to determine their effect on stabilization of the beta phase. Zirconium was found to be the ' most effective. Kinetic studies were conducted on Pu-Zr alloys having 0.24, 0.65, and 1.7 at.% Zr contents. The beta to alpha transformation in the Pu-Zr alloys was somewhat similar to that in unalloyed plutonium. The main difference being that time, temperature, transformation curves of the alloys were shifted to the right as the zirconium concentration increased. It was determined that the amount of beta phase retained at room temperature increased as the zirconium concentration increased. The minimum amount of Zr needed to stabilize the beta phase of plutonium at room temperature was determined to be 2.0 at.%. A 2.4 at.% Zr addition stabilized the beta phase of plutonium at atmospheric pressure from room temperature to 265 deg C. During mechanical property testing it was determined that the stabilized beta Pu-2.4 at.% Zr alloy was brittle from room temperature to 230 deg C. Both tensile and compression strengths of the beta stabilized alloy were greater than the unalloyed beta phase of plutonium. A brittle-ductile transition was noted between 130 and 180 deg C on the Pu-0.65 at.% Zr alloy. Age hardening studies were conducted at room temperature with a Pu -2.4 at.% Zr alloy. A slight aging effect was noted due to the precipitation of an intermetallic compound. Compression tests on the Pu-2.4 at.% Zr alloy indicated that below 80 deg C the stabilized beta phase started to transform to alpha phase during the application of compressive loads. (auth).