Beryllium, the content of which is 0.001% in the earth’s crust, the main minerals are beryl, beryllium and chrysoberyl. Natural beryllium has three isotopes: beryllium-7, beryllium-8, and beryllium-10. Beryllium is a steel gray metal; melting point 1283°C, boiling point 2970°C, density 1.85 g/cm, beryllium ion radius 0.31 angstroms, much smaller than other metals. The characteristics of beryllium: The chemical properties of beryllium are active and can form a dense surface oxide protective layer. Even in red heat, beryllium is very stable in the air. Beryllium can not only react with dilute acid, but also dissolve in strong alkali, showing amphoteric. Oxides and halides of beryllium have obvious covalent properties, beryllium compounds are easily decomposed in water, and beryllium can also form polymers and covalent compounds with obvious thermal stability.

Beryllium, like lithium, also forms a protective oxide layer, so it is stable in air even when it is red hot. Insoluble in cold water, slightly soluble in hot water, soluble in dilute hydrochloric acid, dilute sulfuric acid and potassium hydroxide solution to release hydrogen. Metal beryllium has significant corrosion resistance to oxygen-free sodium metal even at higher temperatures. Beryllium has a positive 2 valence state and can form polymers as well as a class of covalent compounds with significant thermal stability.

Beryllium and its compounds are highly toxic. Although several forms of beryllium are found in the Earth’s crust, it is still very rare, making up only 32nd of all elements on Earth. The color and appearance of beryllium are silvery white or steel gray, and the content in the crust: 2.6×10%

The chemical properties of beryllium are active, and there are 8 kinds of beryllium isotopes that have been found: including beryllium 6, beryllium 7, beryllium 8, beryllium 9, beryllium 10, beryllium 11, beryllium 12, beryllium 14, of which only beryllium 9 is stable, other Isotopes are radioactive. In nature, it exists in beryl, beryllium and chrysoberyl ore, and beryllium is distributed in beryl and cat’s eye. Beryllium-bearing ore has many transparent, beautifully colored variants and has been the most valuable gemstone since ancient times.

Gemstones recorded in ancient Chinese documents, such as cat essence, or cat essence stone, cat’s eye, and opal, which are also known as chrysoberyl by many people, these beryllium-containing ores are basically variants of beryl. It can be obtained by electrolysis of molten beryllium chloride or beryllium hydroxide.

High-purity beryllium is also an important source of fast neutrons. Undoubtedly, it is very important for the design of heat exchangers in nuclear reactors, for example, it is mainly used as a neutron moderator in nuclear reactors. Beryllium copper alloys are used to make tools that do not produce sparks, such as key moving parts of important aero-engines, precision instruments, etc. It is worth mentioning that beryllium has become an attractive structural material for aircraft and missiles due to its light weight, high modulus of elasticity and good thermal stability. For example, in the two space projects of the Cassini Saturn probe and the Mars rover, the United States has used a large number of metal beryllium parts in order to reduce weight.
Be warned that beryllium is toxic. Especially in every cubic meter of air, as long as one milligram of beryllium dust can cause people to contract acute pneumonia – beryllium lung disease. my country’s metallurgical industry has reduced the content of beryllium in one cubic meter of air to less than 1/100,000 gram, and successfully solved the problem of protection against beryllium poisoning.

In fact, beryllium compounds are more toxic than beryllium, and beryllium compounds form soluble jelly-like substances in animal tissues and plasma, which in turn chemically react with hemoglobin to generate a new substance that makes Various lesions occur in tissues and organs, and beryllium in the lungs and bones may also cause cancer.