Beryllium copper, also known as copper beryllium or beryllium bronze, is a metal alloy that contains copper with 0.5-3% beryllium, sometimes with other alloying elements, has significant metalworking advantages and great operating performance qualities. An alloy is a combination, either in solution or compound, of two or more elements, at least one of which is a metal, and where the resulting material has metallic properties. ... General Name, Symbol, Number copper, Cu, 29 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 11, 4, d Appearance metallic brown Atomic mass 63. ... General Name, Symbol, Number beryllium, Be, 4 Chemical series alkaline earth metals Group, Period, Block 2, 2, s Appearance white-gray metallic Atomic mass 9. ... Turned chess pieces Metalworking is the craft and practice of working with metals to create parts or structures. ...

This is a highly ductile alloy which can be precisely stamped and shaped into a wide variety of complex patterns including very small yet critical parts. The addition of beryllium allows this alloy to be heat-treated into being a very strong and durable metal and also gives the alloy a high electrical conductivity. It is used in springs and to make other parts that need to retain their shapes over long periods of time while being subjected to repeated use. It is often used in the low-current contacts for batteries and connectors in electronics for consumer, industrial, and military use. Beryllium copper is also used as a material for making some molds in plastic manufacturing. The Protherm beryllium copper alloy, used for molds, contains 0.4% beryllium and 1.8% nickel. Electrical conductivity is a measure of a materials ability to conduct an electric current. ... Springs A spring is a flexible elastic object used to store mechanical energy. ... One half of a bronze mould for casting a socketed spear head dated to the period 1400-1000 BC. There are no known parallels for this mould. ... General Name, Symbol, Number nickel, Ni, 28 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 10, 4, d Appearance lustrous, metallic Atomic mass 58. ...

High strength beryllium copper alloys contain up to 2.7% of beryllium (cast), or 1.6-2% of beryllium with about 0.3% cobalt (wrought). The high mechanical strength is achieved by precipitation hardening or age hardening. Their thermal conductivity lies between steels and aluminium. The cast alloys are frequently used as material for injection molds. The wrought alloys are designated by UNS as C172000 to C17400, the cast alloys are C82000 to C82800. The hardening process requires rapid cooling of the annealed metal, resulting in a solid state solution of beryllium in copper, which is then kept at 200-460 °C for at least a hour, facilitating precipitation of metastable beryllide crystals in the copper matrix, resulting in increase of the alloy strength. Overaging should be avoided, as an equilibrium phase forms that depletes the beryllide crystals and results in decrease of strength. The beryllides are similar in both cast and wrought alloys. General Name, Symbol, Number cobalt, Co, 27 Chemical series transition metals Group, Period, Block 9, 4, d Appearance metallic with gray tinge Atomic mass 58. ... Precipitation hardening is a heat treatment technique used to strengthen malleable materials, especially non-ferrous alloys including most structural alloys of aluminium and titanium. ... Precipitation hardening, also called Age hardening, is a heat treatment technique used to strengthen malleable materials, especially non-ferrous alloys including most structural alloys of aluminium and titanium. ... The Unified Numbering System (UNS) is an alloy designation system widely accepted in North America. ... Beryllide is an intermetallic compound of beryllium with other metals, eg. ...

High conductivity beryllium copper alloys contain up to 0.7% beryllium, together with some nickel and cobalt. Their thermal conductivity is better than of aluminium, only a bit less than pure copper. They are usually used as electric contacts in connectors. [1]

Beryllium copper alloys are resistant to non-oxidizing acids (hydrochloric acid, carbonic acid, etc.) and other plastic decomposition products. They have good machinability, and can be welded. They are also resistant to abrasive wear and galling. An abrasive is usually a material that is used to smooth or to machine another softer material through extensive rubbing. ... In materials science, wear is the erosion of material from a solid surface by the action of another solid. ... In metallurgy, stainless steel is defined1 as a ferrous alloy with a minimum of 10. ...

Beryllium copper is also frequently used in the manufacture of professional-quality percussion instruments, especially tambourine and triangle, where it is prized for its clear tone and strong resonance. Unlike most other materials, an instrument composed of beryllium copper will maintain a consistent tone and timbre for as long as the material resonates. The "feel" of such instruments is rich and melodious to the point that they seem out of place when used in darker, more rhythmic pieces of classical music.

Beryllium Copper must be handled with care. Gloves and masks are recommended for anyone handling this material. BeCu may have a carcenogic effect if inhaled.

External links

• Standards and properties - Copper and copper alloy microstructures - Copper Beryllium
• National Pollutant Inventory - Beryllium and compounds fact sheet
• National Pollutant Inventory - Copper and compounds fact sheet