Abstract
In order to clarify the effects of neutron irradiation on the ageing characteristics of copper-beryllium alloys with or without small amounts of additional elements, the changes in electrical resistivities, micro-Vickers hardness, tensile properties, electron microstructures and selected area diffraction patterns were measured during ageing after irradiation with about 1∼4×1017 nvt at reactor ambient temperature. It was found that the enhancement of G. P. zone formation during irradiation occurred in supersaturated alloys, and the dissolution of G. P. zones formed and the enhancement of γ′ precipitation occurred during subsequent ageing. On the basis of the experimental results, the mechanism of these effects are discussed relating the interaction with the atoms of the third elements.
