🚀 go-pugleaf

In sci.materials, whit@milton.u.washington.edu (John Whitmore) writes:


>>The only problems with BeO come in when you powder it very finely and 
>>inhale it into your lungs. The small particles cause some nasty reactions
>>similar to what happens with inhaled asbestos. Basically a mechanical
>>irritation. 

>	Are you certain of that?  My trusty TLV-TWA table shows acceptable 
>dust levels of arsenic at 0.5 mg/m^3, and of beryllium at 0.002 mg/m^3;
>beryllium is a very toxic light-metal poison, and I always thought
>the oxide was just as toxic.

>	John Whitmore

Yep. Only problem with BeO is in very fine powders. Which means you 
definitely DON'T want to inhale the stuff- can cause death in extreme
cases, ,cancer in some, etc.

Perfectly safe handled properly though. WON'T turn you into the
'toxic avenger' if you touch it. Just be careful about any usage
which would abrade it- sawing, laser trim, etc. need to be done
under well controlled conditions.

I'm sure that any vendor who would sell you the stuff would have
handling advisories.

In any case, in answer to the original question- anodized aluminum
would be my best recommendation.

Stan Bischof
HP-SRSD

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Merely my own opinions and in no way related to
those of my employer- Hewlett Packard.
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