Plastic deformation
Zirconium and hafnium metallurgy

The transformation of ingots into semi-finished products uses conventional processes and tools from the special steels and common metals sector, but with heating equipment and production lines specially adapted to reactive metals.

The special characteristics of Zr and Hf must be taken into account.

• Like Ti, they have the property of absorbing oxygen, nitrogen and hydrogen at high temperatures: at these temperatures, no protective layer is formed, and diffusion continues at depth, given the high solubility limits. During high-temperature oxidation, a layer of oxides is simultaneously formed on the surface and oxygen is dissolved in the underlying metal. It is therefore necessary to limit heating...