🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <hwbp3dc@dixie.com> jgd@dixie.com (John De Armond) writes:

> >What are the spectacular properties?

> Very light weight, very strong, transparent to X-rays down to very low
> energies, good neutron moderator, excellent heat conductor, as an oxide, 
> a very good electrical insulator while being a very good thermal 
> conductor.  Be is the lightest metal with any structural use.

     Be is also a good neutron multiplier, so the fusion community
tends to use a lot of it in their conceptual reactor designs, in order
to maximize the number of available neutrons and the resultant amount
of tritium produced by reactions with lithium.
     Lately, some of the experimental fusion devices are using it as a
coating on some of the components that interact with the plasma.  This
assures low molecular weight plasma impurities and thus reduced
radiation from the plasma.  Another positive feature of Be in this
context is its apparent gettering properties, which tend to keep the
plasma clean.  I believe the JET reactor in England uses Be coatings. 
     Also, the aerospace industries have put quite a bit of effort
into investigating the use of beryllium alloys, becaue they're so
light.  The major drawback seems to be its lack of ductility.  I could
probably dig up some references to this work if anyone was interested.
--

   jake blanchard
   university of wisconsin - madison
   nuclear engineering and engineering physics
   (608) 263-0391
   blanchar@engr.wisc.edu
   jake@nucst6.neep.wisc.edu