During almost thirty years the BOR-60 reactor is used for irradiation of structural metals and fuel materials in a wide range of dose and temperature parameters. It is noted that the irradiation conditions are reproduced with high accuracy and stability. The carried out researches permitted to study the domestic reactor materials and to determine their optimum compositions and heat treatments. Prospects of investigations of materials for the new generation of the WWER type reactors and the designed thermonuclear reactors are discussed.