PROCESS FOR PREPARING METALLIC BERYLLIUM PEBBLES

摘要

In preparing metallic beryllium pebbles, limitations are imposed on the atmospheric gas pressure in the closed container, arc current, rotational peripheral velocity of a wearable electrode and amount of iron contained in the wearable electrode, in order to stably obtain metallic beryllium pebbles having grain size of from 0.1 to 1.8 mm and an average grain size of from 0.05 to 0.6 mm. The obtained metallic beryllium pebbles are featured by not only a strikingly high tritium radioactivity but also excellent resistance against swelling, and are, hence, very effective as a material for nuclear fusion reactors. Owing to their light weight and high melting point, furthermore, the metallic beryllium pebbles can be advantageously used as a material for aerospace structures.