| Atomic Number: | 4 | Atomic Symbol: | Be |
| Atomic Weight: | 9.01218 | Electron Configuration: | 2-2 |
| Shells: | 2,2 | Filling Orbital: | 2s2 |
| Melting Point: | 1278oC | Boiling Point: | 2970oC |
| Uses: | Watch springs, spacecracfts, missiles, aircrafts |
History
(Gr. beryllos, beryl; also called Glucinium or Glucinum, Gr.
glykys, sweet). Discovered as the oxide by Vauquelin in beryl and in emeralds in
1798. The metal was isolated in 1828 by Fredrich Wohler of Germany and by A.A.
Bussy of France independently by the action of potassium on beryllium chloride.
Sources
Beryllium is found in some 30 mineral species, the most
important of which are bertrandite, beryl, chrysoberyl, and phenacite.
Aquamarine and emerald are precious forms of beryl.
Beryl and bertrandite
are the most important commmercial sources of the element and its compounds.
Most of the metal is now prepared by reducing beryllium fluoride with magnesium
metal. Beryllium metal did not become readily available to industry until 1957.
Properties
The metal, steel gray in color, has many desirable
properties.
As the lightest of all rigid metals, it has one of the highest
melting points of the light metals.
Its modulus of elasticity is about one third greater than that of steel. It
resists attack by concentrated nitric acid, has excellent thermal conductivity,
and is nonmagnetic.
It has a high permeability to X-rays and when bombarded by alpha particles,
as from radium or polonium, neutrons are produced in the amount of about 30
neutrons/million alpha particles.
At ordinary temperatures, beryllium resists oxidation in air, although its
ability to scratch glass is probably due to the formation of a thin layer of the
oxide.
Uses
Beryllium is used as an alloying agent in producing beryllium
copper, which is extensively used for springs, electrical contacts, spot-welding
electrodes, and nonsparking tools.
It is applied as a structural material for high-speed aircraft, missiles,
spacecraft, and communication satellites.
Other uses include windshield frame, brake discs, support beams, and other
structural components of the space shuttle.
Because beryllium is relatively transparent to X-rays, ultra-thin Be-foil is
finding use in X-ray lithography for reproduction of microminiature integrated
circuits.
Beryllium is used in nuclear reactors as a reflector or moderator for it has
a low thermal neutron absorption cross section.
It is used in gyroscopes, computer parts, and instruments where lightness,
stiffness, and dimensional stability are required.
The oxide has a very high
melting point and is also used in nuclear work and ceramic applications.
Handling
Beryllium and its salts are toxic and should be handled with
the greatest of care. Beryllium and its compounds should not be tasted to verify
the sweetish nature of beryllium (as did early experimenters). The metal, its
alloys, and its salts can be handled if certain work codes are observed, but no
attempt should be made to work with beryllium before becoming familiar with
proper safeguards.