Zirconium R60705 ASTM B550 Rod Description
Zirconium R60705 ASTM B550 Rod Introduction
Zirconium R60705 ASTM B550 rod is a solid zirconium alloy product made from UNS R60705 (Zr-2.5Nb), processed by forging, rolling, or extrusion. It is mainly supplied as round rods, with square and hexagonal options available.
With approximately 2.5% niobium addition, it offers medium strength and excellent corrosion resistance, and is commonly used in chemical equipment, nuclear power, and pressure vessel applications.
USA Grade: ZrR60705, ASTM B550
Rod form: Round rods, square rods, and hexagonal rods, manufactured through processes such as hot rolling, forging, and cold drawing, are among the most basic profiles of Zirconium materials.
Technical Specifications
Regular Specification
| Items | Type | Specification range |
| Diameter range(φ, mm) | Regular stock | φ8-φ200 mm |
| Small Size(Cold drawn/ground) | φ4-φ30 mm | |
| Big size(forged rod) | φ100-φ300 mm | |
| Cross-sectional shapes | Round rod | Regular specification |
| Square rod/hexagonal rod | 6×6-80×80 mm(customized), S6-S80 | |
| Imperial sizes | 1/4″ (6.35 mm), 1/2″ (12.7 mm), 1″ (25.4 mm), 2″ (50.8 mm), 3″ (76.2 mm) | |
| Length(mm) | Annealed state(M) | 300-4000 mm(mainly random lengths) |
| Hot working/cold working(R/Y) | 300-6000 mm | |
| Fixed length/multiple length | Within the above range, length tolerance is +15 mm; each cut adds approximately 5 mm cutting allowance |
Supply Specification
| Code | Name | Heat treatment | Surface type | Features |
| M | Annealed state | Vacuum/protective atmosphere annealed, stress relieved | Turned, peeled, ground, | Good ductility, low stress, weldable & machinable, widely used |
| R | Hot working state | As hot-rolled/forged, no heat treatment | Black, turned | High-strength, large-diameter rods, blanks |
| Y | Cold working state | Cold worked, work-hardened, not annealed | Turned, ground | Highest strength, small-diameter high-strength parts |
Surface Specification
| Surface type | Surface condition | Appearance | Application |
| Black oxide scale | Hot-processed black surface | Rough surface, dark appearance, low dimensional accuracy | Large-diameter forged rod, machining stock for subsequent processing |
| Turned surface | CNC turning | Uniform surface, silver-white appearance, high dimensional accuracy | General-purpose machining, welding, and equipment components |
| Peeled surface | Precision turned peeled finish | Better surface finish than turned surface, free from cracks and peeling | Structural components with high surface quality requirements |
| Polished surface | Ground and polished finish | Bright and smooth surface, high dimensional accuracy | Precision shafts, sealing components, and appearance parts |
Chemical Specification
| Elements | Zr+Hf | Nb | Hf | Fe+Cr | C | N | H | O |
| Max. content(%) | 95.5 | 2.0-3.0 | 4.5 | 0.2 | 0.05 | 0.025 | 0.005 | 0.18 |
Physical Specification
| Basic specification | Standard | Physical specification | Value |
| Tensile strength | ≥480 MPa | Density | 6.51 g/cm³ |
| Yield strength | ≥350 MPa | Melt point | ~1855 ℃ |
| Elongation | ≥16% | Thermal conductivity | 18-22 W/(m·K) |
| – | – | Specific heat capacity | 280 J/(kg·K) |
International Standard
| Standard system | Grade | Standard |
| China(GB) | Zr2 | GB/T 21183 |
| USA ASTM/UNS | UNS R60705/ASTM Grade 705 | ASTM B550 |
| International | Zr-2.5Nb | Composition-based, no unified grade |
Features & Advantage
- High strength: Offers higher strength than commercially pure zirconium (e.g., R60702), suitable for demanding structural applications.
- Excellent corrosion resistance: Exhibits outstanding resistance in a wide range of corrosive media, especially acids and aggressive chemical environments.
- Good oxidation resistance: Maintains stable performance and resists oxidation under elevated temperature conditions.
- Good high-temperature performance: Retains mechanical properties and structural stability at elevated temperatures.
- Excellent resistance to chloride corrosion: Performs well in chloride-containing environments, reducing the risk of pitting and crevice corrosion.
- Good workability: Suitable for machining, forming, and fabrication processes such as rolling, forging, and drawing.
- Good weldability: Compatible with various welding methods, producing stable and reliable weld joints.
- Long service life & cost efficiency: Excellent corrosion resistance and durability significantly extend service life, reducing maintenance and replacement costs.
Performance Solutions
Problem: Some materials suffer severe corrosion in strong acidic environments, leading to frequent equipment failure.
Solution: R60705 zirconium rod offers excellent corrosion resistance in aggressive acids, ensuring long-term stable service.
Problem: Conventional metals are prone to pitting and crevice corrosion in chloride-containing environments.
Solution: R60705 provides outstanding resistance to chloride corrosion, reducing localized corrosion risks.
Problem: Materials lose strength or deform under high-temperature operating conditions.
Solution: R60705 maintains high strength and structural stability at elevated temperatures.
Problem: Oxidation and surface degradation occur in high-temperature environments, affecting performance.
Solution: R60705 exhibits good oxidation resistance, maintaining surface integrity and performance.
Problem: Some materials have insufficient strength for high-load or high-stress applications.
Solution: R60705 offers enhanced mechanical strength compared to pure zirconium, suitable for demanding conditions.
Problem: Poor corrosion resistance leads to frequent maintenance and high lifecycle costs.
Solution: R60705 ensures long service life with minimal maintenance due to its superior corrosion resistance.
Problem: Difficult fabrication and machining increase production complexity and cost.
Solution: R60705 has good workability, enabling efficient machining, forming, and fabrication.
Problem: Welding instability and joint defects reduce structural reliability.
Solution: R60705 provides good weldability, ensuring stable welding performance and reliable joints.
Application
- Chemical equipment: Used in reactors, heat exchangers, pipelines, and valves handling strong acids and corrosive media.
- Oil & gas industry: Applied in corrosion-resistant components, downhole tools, and piping systems in aggressive service environments.
- Marine engineering: Suitable for seawater-exposed components, desalination systems, and offshore equipment.
- Precision manufacturing: Applied in high-precision, corrosion-resistant components for advanced industrial equipment.
Custom Processing Capabilities
1) Production Line Strength
Baoji Titanium Valley Ti-Ni-Zr Material Processing Co., Ltd. has invested a total of $36.2 million in high-end strip and foil production, establishing an advanced production line for titanium, nickel, zirconium and their alloy strips and foils in the world.
The production line specializes in the stable rolling of ultra-thin, wide-width strips, overcoming critical industry challenges such as springback, difficult shape control and inconsistent material properties. We achieved stable mass production of high-end titanium foil.
With an annual capacity of 3,000 tons, the production line is expected to realize an annual output value of $116 million, supporting large-volume supply demands from high-end customers in aerospace, electronics, new energy, chemical engineering and other industries..
2) The production line is equipped with advanced equipment in the world which can ensure high precision and stability for every coil of strip and foil:
A.750mm 20-high precision rolling mill: enable precision rolling of ultra-thin, wide-width strips
B.Continuous cleaning and annealing line: ensure surface cleanliness and uniform microstructure
C.Vacuum furnace: improve stability of material properties
D.Leveler: enhance strip shape and flatness
E.Slitting line: high-precision slitting suitable for ultra-thin materials
F.Sanding line: optimize surface consistency and texture.
Through precision equipment and optimized processes, the production line has successfully broken through seven core technical barriers for strip and foil products, including surface color difference control, thickness tolerance control, uniform annealing structure, high-precision slitting, and high-performance cleaning processes.
3) We provide one-stop custom processing from raw materials to finished products, ensuring stable supply of high-precision, high-performance products to our customers.
A.Materials: Pure titanium, titanium alloys, zirconium, nickel
Specifications: Thickness 0.02–1.0mm, width 350–670mm, customize according to requirement.
B.Surface treatment: Cleaning, sanding, degreasing, annealing; available in bright, matte and other function surface.
C.Dimensional & flatness control: Precise control of thickness, tolerances and surface flatness
D.Slitting & cutting to length: Suitable for ultra-thin wide strips with high yield and stable quality
E.Mass delivery: Annual capacity of 3,000 tons to meet large-volume, high-standard custom orders