Solid-phase transformations in beryllium of technical purity with the participation of the Mössbauer iron isotope

New data on the redistribution of impurities in beryllium of technical purity were obtained by Mössbauer spectroscopy. The metal with 0.15% aluminum, 0.11% iron and other impurities was investigated. The introduction of iron enriched with isotope ⁵⁷Fe in addition to natural iron as an impurity provided the magnitude of the Mössbauer effect, sufficient for resolving the experimental spectra and determining the parameters of the supersaturated solution that decomposed and the secondary phases that appear. Isothermal annealing at 600 °C leads first to the precipitation of the AlFeBe₄ phase, which predominates for 1,700 hours. During the solid-phase sequential reaction, the release of its final product of the FeBe₁₁ type gradually develops. Modifications of the process, the necessary level of enrichment, as well as the possibility of regulating the distribution of impurities that affect the properties of beryllium are discussed. The results obtained can be useful in analyzing the behavior of impurities during heat treatment and operation of reactor beryllium and other materials. (paper)