BeO Ceramic
BeO Ceramic is a sintered beryllium oxide body supplied in 97 to 99.8 % purity grades that combines a thermal conductivity of 285 W/m·K with full electrical insulation.
Reference datasheet — BeO Ceramic is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the BeO-99.5 condition
BeO Ceramic tempers and conditions
BeO Ceramic is supplied in 4 conditions, soft to hard. BeO-99.5 is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 4 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
general technical grade | Cost-reduced sintered grade for insulator bushings, resistor cores and crucibles where ~250 W/m·K is sufficient. | 130 | 1,150 HV | 250 W/m·K | ||
economy grade with higher glassy phase | Lowest-cost beryllia body for bulk insulators and crucibles; extra sintering aids cut thermal conductivity noticeably. | 1,050 HV | 210 W/m·K | |||
BeO-99.5Default pressureless sintered, standard electronic grade | Default choice for microwave windows, TWT rods and power-device heat spreaders where ~285 W/m·K and metallizable surfaces are required. | 1,200 HV | 285 W/m·K | |||
high-purity / hot-pressed, maximum thermal conductivity | Pick when peak thermal conductivity and lowest RF loss matter — high-power TWT/klystron windows and laser heat sinks. | 1,300 HV | 320 W/m·K |
What is BeO Ceramic?
BeO Ceramic is a sintered beryllium oxide body supplied in 97 to 99.8 % purity grades that combines a thermal conductivity of 285 W/m·K with full electrical insulation. Engineers select it for RF, microwave and high-power electronic packaging, in the form of substrates, windows, washers, rods and machined shapes, at a density of 2.87 g/cm³ and an elastic modulus of 345 GPa. Service temperature reaches 1800 °C, but beryllium-bearing dust is toxic, so all machining of fired parts must be wet and fully contained, which raises cost and limits supply. Aluminium nitride is the usual substitute where the handling controls are unacceptable. BeO Ceramic has a density of 2.87 g/cm³ (0.104 lb/in³), lighter than 77% of ceramic grades. It melts at 2,530°C (4,586 °F). BeO Ceramic has a tensile strength of 140 MPa (20.3 ksi), stronger than 54% of ceramic grades. The elastic modulus is 345 GPa (50 Msi).
What is BeO Ceramic used for?
- RF/microwave device substrates
- laser heat sinks
- high-power electronic packages
- neutron moderator components
Advantages
- Conducts heat well — 285 W/m·K (164.7 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 98% of ceramic grades
- High service temperature — 1,800°C (3,272 °F), better than 92% of ceramic grades
- Lightweight — 2.87 g/cm³ (0.104 lb/in³), better than 77% of ceramic grades
BeO Ceramic properties
Typical room-temperature values for BeO Ceramic-BeO-99.5; bars are the position among ceramic grades.
Physical4
BeO Ceramic has a density of 2.87 g/cm³ (0.104 lb/in³), lighter than 77% of ceramic grades. It melts at 2,530°C (4,586 °F).
Mechanical11
BeO Ceramic has a tensile strength of 140 MPa (20.3 ksi), stronger than 54% of ceramic grades. The elastic modulus is 345 GPa (50 Msi).
Thermal5
BeO Ceramic is rated for continuous service to 1,800°C (3,272 °F). It conducts heat at 285 W/m·K (164.7 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 98% of ceramic grades. Thermal expansion is 7 µm/m·K (3.89 µin/in·°F).
Electrical5
BeO Ceramic is an electrical insulator with a dielectric strength of 12 kV/mm (304.8 V/mil) and a resistivity of 1×10¹³ Ω·m.
Chemical & Environmental2
Corrosion resistance is excellent (85/100), better than 69% of ceramic grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of BeO Ceramic takes about 300 MJ of energy and emits 22 kg of CO₂ — more than 74% of ceramic grades. Typical recycled content is 5%.
Manufacturability3
BeO Ceramic's machinability is not recommended (5/100, worse than 59% of ceramic grades).
Common Calculations4
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the ceramic family
Yield strength against density for every ceramic grade FabDigit runs. BeO Ceramic is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with BeO Ceramic
Is BeO Ceramic easy to machine?
Green-state machining is strongly preferred; fired BeO needs wet diamond grinding/lapping with fully enclosed dust and slurry capture — dry machining is prohibited due to beryllium toxicity.
Can BeO Ceramic be welded?
Not weldable; joined by active-brazing or by Mo-Mn/Ni metallization plus Ag-Cu or Au-Sn brazing to Kovar, Cu or Mo.
Can BeO Ceramic be formed, bent or molded?
Formed by dry pressing, isostatic pressing, tape casting or slip casting of MgO-doped powder, then sintered at ~1500–1800 °C (hot pressing for maximum density).
BeO Ceramic chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| BeOberyllium oxide, main phase | 99 – 99.9 | 99.5 |
| MgOtypical sintering aid / grain-growth control | 0 – 0.5 | 0.25 |
| SiO2impurity / glassy phase | 0 – 0.2 | 0.1 |
| Al2O3impurity | 0 – 0.2 | 0.08 |
| other oxides (CaO, Fe2O3)trace | balance |
What surface finishes work on BeO Ceramic?
Standard as-fired, lapped or polished surfaces; thick-film or thin-film (Ti/Pt/Au) metallization and electroless Ni/Au plating are routine for power-electronics substrates.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to BeO Ceramic in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- Also called
- BeO
How much does BeO Ceramic cost?
BeO Ceramic is a high-cost ceramic ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
BeO Ceramic — frequently asked
What is BeO Ceramic used for?
BeO Ceramic is typically used for RF/microwave device substrates, laser heat sinks, high-power electronic packages and neutron moderator components. In short: highest thermal conductivity oxide; insulating heat spreader; requires beryllium dust control.
What is the tensile strength of BeO Ceramic?
BeO Ceramic has a typical tensile strength of 140 MPa (20.3 ksi) — stronger than 54% of ceramic grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 4 listed tempers.
Is BeO Ceramic easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated not recommended (5/100, worse than 59% of ceramic grades). Green-state machining is strongly preferred; fired BeO needs wet diamond grinding/lapping with fully enclosed dust and slurry capture — dry machining is prohibited due to beryllium toxicity.
Can BeO Ceramic be welded?
Not weldable; joined by active-brazing or by Mo-Mn/Ni metallization plus Ag-Cu or Au-Sn brazing to Kovar, Cu or Mo.
What surface finishes work on BeO Ceramic?
Standard as-fired, lapped or polished surfaces; thick-film or thin-film (Ti/Pt/Au) metallization and electroless Ni/Au plating are routine for power-electronics substrates.
Can BeO Ceramic be formed, bent or molded?
Formed by dry pressing, isostatic pressing, tape casting or slip casting of MgO-doped powder, then sintered at ~1500–1800 °C (hot pressing for maximum density).
What is the maximum service temperature of BeO Ceramic?
BeO Ceramic is rated for continuous use to about 1,800°C (3,272 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does BeO Ceramic cost?
BeO Ceramic is a high-cost ceramic ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- ASM Engineered Materials Handbook Vol. 4: Ceramics and Glasses — ASM International (1991)
- Beryllium Oxide Ceramic Property Data — Materion / American Beryllia (2022)
- GB/T 5593 (relevant electronic ceramic test methods) — SAC (2020)
- Engineering ceramics property tables (BeO) — MatWeb / CeramTec technical data (2023)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.