Process for fabricating a zirconium-niobium alloy and articles resulting therefrom

An article of manufacture for use in the elevated temperature aqueous environment of a water reactor, said article comprising:

• a zirconium alloy composing said article and consisting essentially of:
• 0.5 to 2.0 weight percent niobium,
• 0.9 to 1.5 weight percent tin,
• 0.09 to 0.11 weight percent of a third alloying element selected from the group consisting of iron, chromium, molybdenum, vanadium, copper, nickel and tungsten,
• and the balance of said alloy essentially zirconium;
• a microstructure of precipitates homogeneously dispersed throughout the matrix of said zirconium alloy, said precipitates having an average particle size below 800 angstroms;
• said article and said microstructure produced by a process comprising the steps of:
• beta treating a billet of said alloy;
• initially deforming said beta-treated billet at a temperature below 650.degree. C., then further deforming said beta-treated billet through cold working stages at a temperature below about 650.degree. C.;
• then annealing said alloy between said cold working stages at a temperature of between about 500.degree.-650.degree. C.;
• and finally annealing said alloy at a temperature below about 650.degree. C.