🚀 go-pugleaf

In article <1992Oct2.113921.2739@mtroyal.ab.ca>, dhayward@mtroyal.ab.ca
wrote:
> 
> For years I have been interested in the present and future uses of
> Berrylium. Due to it's many spectacular properties it should be more
> common than it is. any info?

Be, as you know, has an excellent strength to weight ratio and specific
stiffness. At room temperature Be is 7 times stiffer than any other common
metal. It is used in the aerospace industry for mirrors, in some solar
panel applications, mounts which require exacting stiffness such as for
sensors and telescopes, and structural members requiring very high specific
stiffness. It's main drawback has been it's ductility, or lack thereof. It
is not used in fracture critical applications, unless it's properties
cannot be beat, such as some of the applications listed above.

New Be alloys are being developed with aluminum as a main alloying
ingedient in an effort to increase it's ductility. Some of the newer alloys
have ductilities up to 8 percent, which is comparable to some aluminum
alloys.

In general, I believe Be to be one of the most useful and underated metals
there is. It's hazardous nature is overated, although it is a bit
expensive.

The problem nowadays with the use of Be is it's undeserved reputation. With
greater environmental and safety concerns, people don't want anything to do
with Be.  As mentioned, it's fracture sensitivity has caused NASA to
virtually prohibit it's use unless absolutely necessary.  Strides are being
made to improve it's already outstanding properties, and I expect it's use
will increase in the future.

kevin weber  weber@jedi.ssd.lmsc.lockheed.com