Use tantalum for control rod nuclear reactors on fast neutrons

Tantalum has a sufficiently high neutron absorption cross section in the fast energy region in 70 years was considered as a candidate material for a regulatory nuclear reactors on fast neutrons [1-8]. In this paper we investigate the possibility of using tantalum as a material for regulators nuclear reactors on fast neutrons. We study the properties of tantalum, depending on the chemical composition and thermomechanical processing products. The influence of reactor irradiation on the structure and chemical composition of the material. We investigate the influence of different mechanisms to increase the volume of tantalum samples under irradiation. Exposure of the material held in BOR-60.