Beryllium Copper

Overview of Beryllium Copper

Beryllium Copper, also referred to as alloy 25, is a copper alloy that is comprised of 0.5% beryllium and other alloying metals. This copper alloy is excellent for metalworking, forming, and machining. This material is strong and has non-sparking and non-magnetic qualities. Alloy 25 is typically used in applications that require high strength and electric and thermal conductivity. The highest strength copper based alloy on the market is beryllium copper. A small relation of beryllium to copper creates higher strength copper alloys, which are as strong as some steel alloys.

It is easy to find copper beryllium in a multitude of applications: electronic connector contacts, switchblades, relay blades, control bearings, magnetic sensors, springs, molds, and non-sparking applications. This metal is often shaped into very particular applications; the majority of copper steel designs are custom made. You can find Beryllium Copper across a wide spectrum of industries: oil and gas, aerospace operations, robotics, automation, mold design, non-magnetics.

This alloy is extremely malleable, ductile, wieldable, and machineable. One of its most desirable properties is its resistance to oxidization, decomposition, abrasion, and galling. Different types of beryllium copper all have varying strongpoints. There are many different strains of beryllium copper metal and each is designed for specific applications:

Alloy 25: Beryllium Copper alloy 25 is age hardening and is by far, the strongest of any other alloy. Its optimal properties are springiness, corrosive resistance, and stability.
Tempered Beryllium Copper: Tempered Beryllium Copper is alloy 25 that has been hardened and cold drawn. It doesn’t undergo any additional heat treatment, aside from stress relief. This type of alloy is mostly shaped into springs, but has the ability to be designed as alternative products.
Alloy 3: Alloy 3 is a material that has excellent electrical conductibility and endurance strength. This alloy is used for springs and wire forms that require retention of core properties at high temperatures.
High Strength Beryllium Copper: high strength Beryllium Copper is comprised of cobalt and a high composition of beryllium (around 2.7 percent). This alloy is created by precipitation hardening and has a thermal conductivity that is in between steel’s and aluminum’s.
High Conductivity Beryllium: High Conductivity Beryllium Copper is created with a mix of nickel and cobalt. The thermal conductivity of this alloy is slightly less than that of pure copper. This alloy is predominantly used for electric contacts in connectors.

Beryllium Copper

If you are interested in purchasing Beryllium Copper, it is most prudent to contact a professional in the field of copper alloys.

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