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4hv.org :: Forums :: General Science and Electronics
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How do you distinguish Aluminium and Beryllium Oxides ceramics?

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IntraWinding
Wed Aug 11 2010, 11:23PM Print
IntraWinding Registered Member #2261 Joined: Mon Aug 03 2009, 01:19AM
Location: London, UK
Posts: 581
I have quite a lot of ceramic insulators but I've always assumed they were Aluminium Oxide.

How do you easily distinguish Aluminium and Beryllium Oxides ceramics?
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Sulaiman
Thu Aug 12 2010, 12:07AM
Sulaiman Registered Member #162 Joined: Mon Feb 13 2006, 10:25AM
Location: United Kingdom
Posts: 3140
AFAIK due to it's toxicity Beryllium is only used inside packages
between silicon and metal normally.
I expect that any ceramic tile will not be Beryllium.
I hope my assumption is correct.
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Adam Munich
Thu Aug 12 2010, 01:32AM
Adam Munich Registered Member #2893 Joined: Tue Jun 01 2010, 09:25PM
Location: Cali-forn. i. a.
Posts: 2242
Beryllium ceramics are fantastic heat conductors. Much better than alumina ones.
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radiotech
Thu Aug 12 2010, 02:45AM
radiotech Registered Member #2463 Joined: Wed Nov 11 2009, 03:49AM
Location:
Posts: 1546
How about looking at the density of alumina and beryllia

Alumina is 4/3 heavier. There used to be a hook on the end of a triple beam balance to hang stuff on, like a string, so you could weigh irregular objects in water and shout Eureka - I have found it !

Dont try this with Na or K.
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IntraWinding
Thu Aug 12 2010, 06:27AM
IntraWinding Registered Member #2261 Joined: Mon Aug 03 2009, 01:19AM
Location: London, UK
Posts: 581
Sulaiman wrote ...

AFAIK due to it's toxicity Beryllium is only used inside packages
between silicon and metal normally.
I expect that any ceramic tile will not be Beryllium.
I hope my assumption is correct.

That's what I thought until I read the third post in this recent thread Link2
Look at its photo Link2, a Heathkit leaflet warning that the transistor mounting insulator is Beryllium Oxide! First I've heard of it outside of semiconductor packages, apart from Argon Ion lasers!

I know I could use lots of complicated methods to distinguish it from Aluminium Oxide, but is there a quick and easy method?
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Dr. Dark Current
Thu Aug 12 2010, 08:34AM
Dr. Dark Current Registered Member #152 Joined: Sun Feb 12 2006, 03:36PM
Location: Czech Rep.
Posts: 3384
I think I have here 8 TO-3 beryllium oxide transistor insulating pads, they are around 3mm thick. I can't imagine anything else as thick could conduct the heat adequately.
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Adam Munich
Thu Aug 12 2010, 01:57PM
Adam Munich Registered Member #2893 Joined: Tue Jun 01 2010, 09:25PM
Location: Cali-forn. i. a.
Posts: 2242
Magnetrons typically are made with beryllium oxide ceramics.
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IntraWinding
Thu Aug 12 2010, 03:57PM
IntraWinding Registered Member #2261 Joined: Mon Aug 03 2009, 01:19AM
Location: London, UK
Posts: 581
Grenadier wrote ...

Magnetrons typically are made with beryllium oxide ceramics.

Are you sure this is true of domestic microwave oven magnetrons as I would expect them to avoid using highly toxic materials in a domestic product, but to mark it clearly as hazardous if they do, and the few microwave ovens I've stripped had no warnings.

Also, I notice a remark referred to elsewhere in this forum that the 'pink' ceramic sometimes seen in magnetrons is Beryllium Dioxide according to Wikipedia is out of date as Wikipedia didn't mention this when I checked the link today.
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Adam Munich
Thu Aug 12 2010, 04:07PM
Adam Munich Registered Member #2893 Joined: Tue Jun 01 2010, 09:25PM
Location: Cali-forn. i. a.
Posts: 2242
IntraWinding wrote ...

Also, I notice a remark referred to elsewhere in this forum that the 'pink' ceramic sometimes seen in magnetrons is Beryllium Dioxide.

This.
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IntraWinding
Thu Aug 12 2010, 04:07PM
IntraWinding Registered Member #2261 Joined: Mon Aug 03 2009, 01:19AM
Location: London, UK
Posts: 581
Dr. Kilovolt wrote ...

I think I have here 8 TO-3 beryllium oxide transistor insulating pads, they are around 3mm thick. I can't imagine anything else as thick could conduct the heat adequately.

I have some similarly thick ceramic insulators for TO-220 packages which I stripped out of old equipment.

I assumed they where Aluminium Oxide used as reliable high voltage insulators with sufficient thermal conductivity for the job.

Are they likely to be Beryllium Oxide even for a more recent transistor package style and no warning given?

And how can I tell in practice?




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