(19)
(11) EP 0 198 570 A3

(12) EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION

(88) Date of publication A3:
14.10.1987 Bulletin 1987/42

(43) Date of publication A2:
22.10.1986 Bulletin 1986/43

(21) Application number: 86300259

(22) Date of filing: 16.01.1986
(84) Designated Contracting States:
BE FR GB IT

(30) Priority: 22.01.1985 US 693546

(71) Applicant: WESTINGHOUSE ELECTRIC CORPORATION
 ()

(72) Inventors:
  • Sabol, George Paul
     ()
  • McDonald III, Samuel Gilbert
     ()

   


(54) Process for producing a thin-walled tubing from a zirconium-niobium alloy


(57) Thin-walled tubing of a zirconium-niobium alloy is fabricated by a process using a beta-quench prior to extrusion, the material being extruded at a temperature of 650 °C or lower and cold worked with annealing, between a plurality of cold working stages, effected at a temperature of below 650 °C, and the tubes then being subjected to a final anneal at a temperature below 600 °C. The resultant thin-walled tubing has a microstructure of homgeneously dispersed niobium particles of a size less than about 800 angstroms, with the tubing exhibiting excellent corrosion resistance.






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