Beryllium-based intermetallic compounds, such as Be₁₂Nb, are attracting growing interest for their high thermal stability and potential to replace pure beryllium as neutron reflectors and multipliers in both fission and future fusion reactors, with additional applications in metallurgy, aerospace, and hydrogen technology. The paper presents the results of an investigation of the thermal treatment and phase formation of the intermetallic compound Be₁₂Nb from a mixture of niobium and beryllium powders in the temperature range of 800–1300 °C. The phase evolution was assessed as a function of sintering temperature and time. A nearly single-phase Be₁₂Nb composition was achieved at 1100 °C, while decomposition into lower-order beryllides such as Be₁₇Nb₂ occurred at temperatures ≥1200 °C, indicating thermal instability of Be₁₂Nb under vacuum. Careful handling of sintering in low vacuum minimized oxidation, though signs of possible BeO formation were noted. The findings complement and extend earlier reports on Be₁₂Nb synthesis via plasma sintering, mechanical alloying, and other powder metallurgy routes, providing broader insight into phase formation and synthesis. These results provide a foundation for optimizing the manufacturing parameters required to produce homogeneous Be₁₂Nb-based components and billets at an industrial scale. Additionally, they help define the operational temperature limits necessary to preserve the material’s phase integrity during application.

Plasma-facing components of fusion facilities must withstand a wide range of operating loads. Their structural integrity is strongly affected by plasma particles, including deuterium (D), tritium (T), and helium (He), as well as by 14 MeV neutrons, steady-state heat fluxes, and recurrent intense transient thermal loads. In most current studies, the effects of individual operating factors—such as neutron irradiation, plasma exposure, and thermal loading—are investigated separately, allowing the contribution of each factor to changes in material properties to be evaluated. However, degradation mechanisms arising from the synergistic action of these factors require investigation using more sophisticated experimental methodologies. The present study aims to develop a methodology for the simulation testing of materials intended for fusion applications and at investigating the structural and phase stability of Be₁₂Ti, as well as its deuterium sorption behavior, following high-energy irradiation with 14 MeV D⁺ ions. Irradiation was performed at ion flux densities of approximately 8.6 × 10¹⁴ ions·cm⁻²·s⁻¹ and 1.06 × 10²⁰ ions·cm⁻²·s⁻¹. The irradiation-induced target temperatures reached approximately 400K and 1000K, respectively. An intermetallic Be₁₂Ti alloy produced at the Ulba Metallurgical Plant in Kazakhstan was used as the target material. The selection of Be₁₂Ti was motivated by existing fusion reactor concepts that consider this intermetallic compound as a neutron multiplier material, including the Japanese JA DEMO concept.