Ultrapure Metals

Refining processes, production, investigation of properties, development of technologies, products. The following metals were studied: magnesium, niobium, tantalum, iron, nickel, titanium, vanadium, gallium and others. In case of the need to develop a refining technology or create new alloys based on pure metals, the range of names will be expanded.

Zirconium, its alloys and hafnium

Production processes, refining, investigations on the effect of impurities on the properties, improvement of the existing manufacturing technologies and development of new ones, including equipment.

Physics and technology of nanomaterials

Physical processes for the formation of nanocrystalline, nanocomposite and single-crystal structures in special alloys based on pure metals, study of their physical and mechanical properties, improvement of the principles and methods for creating materials with a given microstructure and improved performance characteristics for use in reactor engineering, electrical engineering, instrument making, gas turbine engineering and medicine.

Beryllium physics

Refining, metal physics, technologies, products. Beryllium belongs to nuclear materials. Therefore, first of all, attention is paid to the development of technologies for its use as biological protection. Beryllium products can be used as a material for the first wall of a thermonuclear reactor.

Superconductors

Development of physical processes for the synthesis of superconductors and production technologies. Investigation of electrophysical properties for new superconducting materials.

Semiconductors

Carrying out the synthesis of semiconductor compounds, growing single crystals, obtaining products and creating sensors for radiation recording.

1. The process for refining low-melting metals (Ga, Cd, Zn, Te, Pb) to the degree of purity (6N), which is carried out by a combination of vacuum heat treatment, filtration and distillation in one cycle was developed. Such a combination provides deep purification of these metals from metal and penetration impurities (N, O, C) to the level of 1 × 10^-5 wt.%. Simulation of temperature conditions for growing single crystals, their electrophysical properties and the processes of metal refining was carried out.

Change in the content of metallic impurities and oxygen in zirconium after two successive electron-beam melts

Pure metals

No.	Element	Content, wt.%
1	Be	99.999
2	Cd	99.9999
3	Al	99.9999
7	Ga	99.99999
8	Zr	99.99
6	Pb	99.9995
7	V	99.998
8	Nb	99.9996
9	Ti	99.99
10	Zn	99.9999
11	Ta	> 99.99
12	Cr	99.99
13	Mo	99.9999
14	W	99.99995
15	Re	99.9999
16	Ru	99.999
17	Os	99.999

2. The technology for the manufacture of thin beryllium foils was developed and the mass production of vacuum-tight foil up to 8 μm thick was set up. The method for producing bulk metal glasses, one of the components of which is beryllium, was developed; the structure and properties of the materials obtained were studied. Prototypes of such materials were manufactured for their use as the first mirrors for plasma diagnostics.

Thin beryllium foils

Pilot cryotransformer with the winding of long wire made of high-purity beryllium (ρ = 0.055 μOhm∙cm at 77 К), suitable for use in hyperconductive systems (j ∼ 10⁴ А/сm²)

3. The new methods were developed and the modes for mechanical-thermal treatment of deformable superconductors based on niobium-titanium alloys were optimized. Multifilamentary superconductors with high current-carrying capability were created.

Multifilamentary superconductor based on Nb-Ti

Record level of current carrying capacity in Nb-Ti superconductors (4 kA/mm², 5 T, 4.2 К)

4. Magnesium of record high purity (∼ 99.9999%) was obtained; the temperature dependence for the electrical resistance of high-purity magnesium in the range of 4.5 − 300 К was studied. By refining the structure using the methods of severe deformation, the mechanical properties were significantly improved and the corrosion rate of biosoluble alloys was reduced by several orders of magnitude. Coronary stents from biosoluble magnesium alloys were manufactured and their properties were studied. New instruments and applicators for oncology were developed from the materials with increased strength and plasticity.

Magnesium single crystal

Coronary stent made of biosoluble magnesium alloys

Mg-alloy structure: ultrafine-grained
structure, nano-precipitation

Oncology applicator (high purity ultrafine grain titanium)

Oncology needles

5. The physical fundamentals for obtaining high-purity hafnium were developed. Estimations and experimental studies for the changes in the concentration of impurities in hafnium during electron beam melting and zone recrystallization (in the electric field as well) were carried out.

6. Research on the optimization of the technological process parameters for obtaining zirconium magnesium thermal sponge at the stages of reducing zirconium tetrachloride from domestic raw materials and vacuum high-temperature treatment of rough zirconium sponge was carried out. This will make it possible to obtain zirconium in accordance with modern requirements for creating zirconium structural materials with improved properties for reactors.

7. Investigation and improvement of metal purification from impurities were carried out. Pure and ultrapure metals (Zr, Hf, Be, Mg, Cd, Zn, Te) were obtained for the production of alloys for nuclear power engineering. The physical and technological fundamentals for obtaining nuclear-pure zirconium, which meets the modern requirements of nuclear power engineering, were developed. The behavior of impurities during zirconium refining by the method of electron beam melting and the effect of zirconium purity on its properties were studied.

8. For the first time, high-purity antique lead (99.9996%) was obtained in the form of granules, which is necessary for producing low-background scintillation crystals of PbWO₄.

9. The kinetics for the formation of diffusion hardened near-surface layers on sample pipes made of zirconium alloy Zr-1%Nb during chemical-thermal treatment (TCT) in controlled oxygen-containing and nitrogen media was studied. The regularities for the growth of hardened near-surface layers depending on the treatment time and environment were determined. It was also shown that due to TCT the microhardness of the inner and outer surfaces of FE tubes is significantly increased (from 2.5 to 7 times). This can significantly reduce the damage to the tubes during the operation of the FE.

Electron beam melting unit

Ultrapure beryllium products

Ultrapure beryllium products

Cd 99.9997%

Zn 99.9998%

Te 99.9996%

Te 99.9999%

Pb (antique) 99.9996%

Pb 99.9999%

¹⁰⁶Cd

Ga 99.9999%

In 99.9999%

Unit for growing single crystals and refining

Microstructure of CoCrFeMnNi alloy, after rolling to 80% and annealing at 800°С for 1 h

Structure and mechanical properties of ODS steels X18H10T and X18H10T

11. Nanocrystalline zirconium and titanium of various purities, as well as nanostructured alloys based on them, were developed and studied. For the first time, a combination of two methods of extreme impact on metals was applied – severe plastic deformation plus subsequent cryogenic deformation.

12. The processes of refining magnesiothermal sponge zirconium of domestic production by the method of electron-beam melting were studied. This makes it possible to create the necessary preconditions for the use of magnesiothermal zirconium in the development of zirconium structural materials for NPU equipment pieces.

13. Devices based on semiconductor and gas-discharge detectors were developed for the technological processes using ionizing radiation, including NPP, the Chernobyl zone, spent fuel storage and medicine, including semiconductor detectors based on Si, GaAs, CdTe, CdZnTe and CVD diamond coatings, gas-discharge detectors based on noble gases etc.

14. The prototype of gamma-radiation detection unit based on the gas-discharge linear detector and charge-sensitive preamplifier designed for radiation monitoring systems of NPPs was developed and manufactured. The detector is filled with a mixture of high-purity (99.9995%) inert gas Xe and hydrogen. The detection unit characteristics were studied under irradiation with gamma-quants of ²⁴¹Am, ¹³⁷Cs, ⁶⁰Co isotopes.

Stand for filling detectors with gas mixtures

CVD-coating surface

300 μm thick detector on
Si substrate of 2×6×2 mm

300 μm thick detector on
Si-substrate of 2×6×2 mm

300 μm thick detector on
Si substrate 2×6×2 mm

Emergency dosimeter

X-ray detection unit

Large detectors (1 cm³) for gamma spectrometry

Wide-range gamma radiation dosimeter

Ring line of detectors (120 pcs)

Gamma ray spectrometer

15. The complex of fundamental studies on the electrophysical and magnetic properties of granular oxide high-temperature superconductors was carried out. For the first time, the course of topological phase transitions - Berezinsky-Kosterlitz-Thoules transitions (BKT-transitions) in the Josephson medium of granular HTSC under the influence of electric and magnetic fields was determined experimentally. Works on the synthesis and investigation of the crystal structure, electromagnetic properties and radiation resistance of the new BCS-superconductor MgB₂ were carried out. High-energy permanent magnets based on rare earth metals were developed.

Temperature dependences for the magnetoresistance of granular HTSC YBa₂Cu₃O₇

Measuring complex for electrophysical and magnetic properties of materials (12 - 300 К, up to 2 kOe)

The structure of Zr-1%Nb alloy after double vacuum arc melting

16. The evolution of Zr-1%Nb alloy structure was studied at the increase of iron concentration. Small additions of iron to the alloy result in the change of its structure due to the appearance of precipitates of the Laves phase. As the iron content is increased in the Zr-1%Nb alloy, its microhardness is increased as well. High corrosion resistance of the investigated Zr-1%Nb alloys is shown. It is also shown that alloying with iron makes a significant contribution to the corrosion resistance of Zr-1%Nb alloys in reactor water.

- Research Laboratory of Zirconium Physics and Pure Metal Technologies.

The main scientific areas of the laboratory are vacuum and high-vacuum metallurgy; physics and materials science of pure and ultrapure metals and alloys with special physical properties; technological processes for the production of pure metals and structural materials for reactor construction, electronics and other areas of technology. Among the fundamental results of the laboratory's scientific research, it is also research and development of new methods of refining of metals, obtaining a number of metals of record purity and determining previously unknown physical properties, investigation of the relationship between the chemical composition, structure and physical properties of metals and alloys, and work on the synthesis of structural materials for nuclear energy.

Laboratory employees participate in the development of industrial technologies for obtaining of nuclear-grade zirconium, hafnium, and calcium, of technologies for refining niobium, gallium, and scandium, and in the creation of new heterodyne materials and materials for medicine. Also, the group of physical materials science of functional ceramic materials conducts fundamental research on materials with special electrophysical, magnetic, elastic and other properties in a wide temperature range, studies of the magnitude and directions of the external magnetic field, transport current density, etc., used or that may find application in the nuclear power industry of Ukraine for the transportation, conversion and accumulation of energy of nuclear power plants, as well as the detection of various types of radiation. The semiconductor materials group is investigating the refining processes of low-melting metals (Ga, Cd, Zn, Te, Pb, etc.) to the purity level (6N) by combining vacuum heat treatment, filtration, and distillation in a single cycle. These technologies represent a step-by-step purification of volatile impurities with filtration, as well as purification of highly volatile impurities using a getter filter, which provides a deeper purification of metals from metal impurities, including from introduced impurities (N, O, C) to the level of 1 × 10⁻⁵ wt.%; modeling of temperature conditions for growing of single crystals, their electrophysical properties, and metal refining processes is also performed.

- Research Laboratory of Electrophysical Materials and Technical Superconductors.

The laboratory conducts research into the physical processes of forming of nanocrystalline, nanocomposite and single-crystalline structures in special alloys based on pure metals, studies of their physical and mechanical properties, and improves the principles and methods of creating materials with a given microstructure and increased performance characteristics for use in reactor construction, electrical engineering, instrument making, gas turbine construction and medicine. Also, samples of multicomponent and high-entropy alloys of a wide range of chemical compositions are manufactured and studied for various economic needs. Magnetic materials for medical equipment are developed and studied.

- Scientific and Research Laboratory of Metal Physics and Technology of Beryllium and Construction Materials.

Work is being carried out on the creation of structural grades of beryllium based on powder and cast materials. A technology and equipment have been developed for obtaining of spherical beryllium powders with a metastable structure by the melt spraying method, a technology for obtaining of vacuum-tight foils and thin wires has been developed, and the hyperconductivity of beryllium has been investigated.

In addition to beryllium materials, the laboratory conducts research on developing of technologies for producing of new structural materials. The processes of formation of structural characteristics and their influence on the physical, mechanical and radiation properties of materials based on zirconium and hafnium for nuclear and thermonuclear energy are studied.

- Research Laboratory of the Physical Foundations of the Creation of New Beryllium Materials.

Research is being conducted into the physical nature of plastic flow and fracture of light metals and alloys; development of new methods for plasticizing of metals and alloys used in nuclear technology and medicine; development of new methods for intensive deformation of materials; development of new materials with high strength and plasticity (beryllium, magnesium, etc.); study of the relationship between mechanical properties and structural factors; development of new methods for studying of plastic deformation and fracture of metals and alloys, including acoustic emission, fracture toughness, impact toughness with separation of deformation work and fracture work.

- Research laboratory for new technological solutions.

The directions of the laboratory are: development of devices based on semiconductor and gas-discharge detectors for the technological processes using ionizing radiation, including nuclear power plants, the Chernobyl zone, spent fuel storages and medicine; research and manufacture of semiconductor detectors based on Si, GaAs, CdTe, CdZnTe and CVD diamond coatings; research and manufacture of gas-discharge detectors based on noble gases; development and manufacture of various devices for detecting ionizing radiation.