Beryllium intermetallics: Industrial experience on development and manufacture

Ulba Metallurgical Plant JSC has been leading several research and development programs aimed at producing beryllides for both structural and fusion applications. The main focus has been on the development of tantalum beryllide as a high-temperature material, and chromium and titanium beryllides as neutron multipliers for EU DEMO. Utilizing vacuum hot pressing, billets of tantalum, chromium, and titanium beryllides were successfully produced, with their key properties such as density, phase composition, and microstructure extensively analyzed. These results show promising potential for expanding the use of beryllides and developing new compositions, highlighting the continued importance of research in this area.