Beryllium-tungsten mixed-material interactions

A beryllium-seeded deuterium plasma is used to investigate beryllium-tungsten mixed-material properties. Beryllium accumulation on tungsten surfaces exposed to deuterium plasma containing only a small beryllium impurity concentration (0.1%) is observed. The beryllium seeding oven utilizes a tungsten crucible to hold the hot beryllium. This crucible destructively melted after only 100 h of operation and at temperatures that never exceeded 1550 °C. A tungsten-beryllide alloy appears to have formed in the melt zone of the tungsten crucible.