BERYLLIUM RESEARCH IN MISSILE DEVELOPMENT

Journal Article · Sat Oct 01 04:00:00 EDT 1960 · J. Metals

OSTI ID:4123292

Matthews, C O

Beryllium is inherently brittle, but its brittleness can be decreased by controlling the grain size, texture, composition, heat treatment, and other factors. A comparison is given of the weights of beryllium and conventional aircraft materials required for a multi-web fin structure under load; this comparison shows that beryllium is superior on a weight basis. However, until more test data are collected, it is not known whether or not beryllium will qualify as material for more complex configurations. The beryllium research program at Lockheed Missiles and Space Division is briefly described. Beryllium ingots of good quality were produced by electron-beam melting, and data on their properties are given. The need for a method for analyzing beryllium for oxygen contents less than 200 ppm is filled by gamma -activation analysis techniques that can determine oxygen (10 to 5,000 ppm), carbon (100 to 25,000 ppm), and nitrogen. In the absence of interfering impurities, these oxygen and carbon ranges can be lowered still further. The effects of alloying on cast beryllium stuctures were studied with particular reference to controlling the solidification process to produce a fine-grained, equiaxed structure with improved properties. The kinetics of beryllium corrosion in air were studied above 850 deg C, and an Arrhenius plot gives activation energies of 1.1 x 10/sup 5/ and l.06 x 10/sup 4/ cal/mole in the ranges 930 to 1065 deg C and 1056 to 1295 deg C, respectively. The electric resistivity of beryllium was also studied. It appears to be a function of metalic impurity content but not of nonmetalic or total impurity content, and it varies greatly from lot to lot in the range 100 to 700 deg C. An extensive testing program was conducted on the mechanical properties of beryllium in the form of hot-pressed blocks, cross-rolled sheets, etc., and the data will be collated in a book. The methods for evaluating surface damage by machining operations are discussed. For joining purposes mechanical joints and silver brazing are satisfactory, and electron-beam welding was shown to be feasible with commercial beryllium. It is concluded that the primary problem in beryllium usage is ductility and associated properties; possible methods for solving this problem are discussed (e.g., by dispersion microstructures). (D.L.C.)

• Research Organization: Lockheed Aircraft Corp., Palo Alto, Calif.
• NSA Number: NSA-15-000672
• OSTI ID: 4123292
• Journal Information: J. Metals, Journal Name: J. Metals Vol. Vol: 12
• Country of Publication: Country unknown/Code not available
• Language: English

Related Subjects

ACTIVATION
AIR
AIRCRAFT
ARRHENIUS PLOT
BERYLLIUM
BERYLLIUM ALLOYS
BRAZING
BRITTLENESS
CARBON
CONTROL
CORROSION
DEFECTS
DUCTILITY
ELECTRIC CONDUCTIVITY
ELECTRON BEAMS
EXCITATION
GAMMA RADIATION
GRAIN SIZE
HEAT TREATMENTS
HIGH TEMPERATURE
IMPURITIES
JOINTS
LATTICES
MACHINING
MATERIALS TESTING
MECHANICAL PROPERTIES
MELTING
METALS, CERAMICS, AND OTHER MATERIALS
NITROGEN
OXYGEN
QUANTITATIVE ANALYSIS
QUANTITY RATIO
RODS
ROLLING
SHEETS
SILVER
SOLIDIFICATION
SPACE VEHICLES
SURFACES
TEMPERATURE
TENSILE PROPERTIES
VARIATIONS
WEIGHT
WELDING