R60001 is nuclear-grade zirconium, a reactive metal with a controlled low hafnium content. This datasheet presents the material within the American (ASTM / ASME / UNS) standard system.
Zirconium is a reactive metal noted for outstanding corrosion resistance and, in nuclear grades, a very low thermal-neutron-capture cross-section. R60001 is a nuclear-grade zirconium with a controlled maximum hafnium content (typically below 0.010%), making it suitable for nuclear-reactor core structural applications where neutron economy is critical. It combines low neutron capture with good corrosion resistance in high-temperature water and steam, good ductility and weldability, and is supplied in the annealed condition.
Typical applications include nuclear-reactor core structural components and hardware where low neutron capture and corrosion resistance in reactor coolant are required.
| Property | Value | Unit |
|---|---|---|
| Density | 6.51 | g/cm³ |
| Melting point | 1852 | °C |
| Elastic modulus | 99 | GPa |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion (20–100 °C) | 5.9 | µm/m·°C |
| Thermal conductivity (20 °C) | 22 | W/m·K |
| Specific heat (20 °C) | 285 | J/kg·K |
| Structure | Hexagonal close-packed (alpha) | — |
| Element | Symbol | Min % | Max % | Role in Alloy |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Zirconium | Zr | Balance | — | Base element |
| Hafnium | Hf | — | 0.010 | Controlled low (nuclear) |
| Iron + Chromium | Fe + Cr | — | 0.20 | Residual |
| Oxygen | O | — | 0.16 | Interstitial; strength |
| Carbon | C | — | 0.027 | Interstitial impurity |
| Nitrogen | N | — | 0.008 | Interstitial impurity |
| Hydrogen | H | — | 0.0025 | Interstitial impurity |
Annealed condition, typical values for ASTM B350 UNS R60001.
| Condition | Property | Value |
|---|---|---|
| Annealed | Tensile strength (UTS) | ≥290 MPa (42 ksi) |
| Annealed | 0.2% yield strength | ≥138 MPa (20 ksi) |
| Annealed | Elongation at break | ≥16 % |
| Cold-worked | Tensile strength (UTS) | higher; less ductile |
| — | Elastic modulus | 99 GPa |
Confirm against the mill test report. Strength depends on oxygen content and condition.
| Environment | Performance | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Reactor coolant water / steam | Excellent | Low corrosion + low neutron capture |
| High-temperature water | Excellent | Core structural service |
| Sulfuric acid (≤70%) | Excellent | Resistant; attacked at high conc. |
| Strong alkalis | Excellent | Resists hot caustic |
| Ferric / cupric chlorides, aqua regia | Poor | Attacked; also HF |
Zirconium offers outstanding resistance to hydrochloric and nitric acids, hot caustic and many organic acids through a self-healing oxide film, but is attacked by hydrofluoric acid, ferric and cupric chlorides, wet chlorine and aqua regia.
A reactive metal; not hardenable by precipitation. Properties are governed by working and annealing.
Anneal Anneal in vacuum or a protective atmosphere at approximately 540–815 °C to recrystallise and restore ductility after cold work. Avoid oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen pickup, which embrittle the metal; pickling removes surface contamination.
Excellent weldability by inert-gas processes; the weld and hot metal must be fully shielded from air (trailing shields, backing gas or chambers), because oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen pickup cause embrittlement.
| Welding Process | Applicability | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| GTAW / TIG | Excellent | Full inert shielding / trailing shield |
| GMAW / MIG | Good | Matching filler |
| EBW / plasma | Good | Vacuum or high-purity shielding |
Weld under full inert-gas shielding with clean surfaces; a bright, silvery weld indicates good shielding, while colours indicate contamination.
Machining Guidelines
| Parameter | Recommendation |
|---|---|
| Machinability | Fair; sharp tooling, slow speeds, heavy feeds |
| Caution | Fine chips/dust are pyrophoric — manage swarf, flood coolant |
| Coolant | Ample non-chlorinated coolant |
Forming Processes
| Process | Notes |
|---|---|
| Cold forming | Good; ductile when annealed |
| Hot forming | Performed warm/hot under protection from oxidation |
| Industry | Typical Components | Key Requirements |
|---|---|---|
| Chemical process | Heat exchangers, reactors, columns | Hot-acid corrosion resistance |
| Acid production | Piping, pumps, valves | HCl / H₂SO₄ resistance |
| Pulp / pharmaceutical | Process vessels | Corrosion resistance + purity |
| Industrial | Linings, fittings | Broad chemical resistance |
| Product Form | ASTM Standard | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Strip, sheet and plate | ASTM B352 | UNS R60001 |
| Bar and wire | ASTM B351 | UNS R60001 |
| Seamless and welded tube | ASTM B353 | UNS R60001 |
| Material designation | UNS R60001 | Nuclear-grade zirconium |
Nuclear-grade zirconium, low hafnium. UNS R60001.
| UNS | Composition | Grade | Best Used For |
|---|---|---|---|
| R60001 | Nuclear-grade Zr | Low hafnium | Nuclear-grade zirconium; reactor core structural use |
| R60702 | Unalloyed Zr | Industrial | Industrial zirconium; chemical service |
| R60802 | Zircaloy-2 (Zr-Sn-Fe-Cr-Ni) | Nuclear | BWR fuel cladding and structural |
| R60804 | Zircaloy-4 (Zr-Sn-Fe-Cr) | Nuclear | PWR fuel cladding and structural |
| R60705 | Zr-2.5Nb | Industrial | Higher-strength zirconium-niobium alloy |




