beryllium bronze
Noun: A strong, hard, non-magnetic, and non-sparking copper alloy containing a small percentage of beryllium. It is known for its excellent mechanical properties, including high strength, good electrical and thermal conductivity, and resistance to wear, corrosion, and metal fatigue.
"Beryllium bronze" is used as a compound noun to refer to this specific type of alloy. It is typically used in technical, engineering, and industrial contexts. * The springs were made from beryllium bronze for durability and conductivity. * Beryllium bronze is often chosen for tools used in explosive environments because it does not spark.
- The term can be part of more specific designations, such as "beryllium bronze alloy C17200," which refers to a standard composition.
- In manufacturing, it is common to refer to items simply as being "made of beryllium" when the context clearly implies the alloy, though technically "beryllium bronze" or "beryllium copper" is more precise.
- Beryllium copper: A very similar and often synonymous term for copper-beryllium alloys. While sometimes used interchangeably with "beryllium bronze," "beryllium copper" is generally the more common term in metallurgy.
- BeCu: A common abbreviation used in technical specifications and engineering drawings.
- Alloy 25, Alloy 172: Example industry standard names for specific beryllium bronze/copper alloys.
- Beryllium copper
- Copper beryllium alloy
This term refers exclusively to the metal alloy. It is not used figuratively. The primary distinction from plain "bronze" (a copper-tin alloy) is the inclusion of beryllium, which gives it superior strength and unique safety properties (non-sparking).
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a copper-base alloy containing beryllium
