AlBeMet AM162 (beryllium-aluminium metal matrix, 62Be-38Al) Be-Al AM162

spore: profile
id: beryllium-aluminium
spore_version: 0.2
family: aluminium-alloys
name: AlBeMet AM162 (beryllium-aluminium metal matrix, 62Be-38Al)
abbreviation: Be-Al AM162
role: light, stiff structural and heat-spreading metal matrix composite
category: metals
type: aluminium
summary: |
  AlBeMet AM162 is a powder-metallurgy composite of about 62 wt% beryllium and 38 wt% aluminium, made by Materion (formerly Brush Wellman). Its density is 2.071 g/cm3 in one Materion table and 2.10 g/cm3 in another, its elastic modulus is 193 GPa and its thermal conductivity is 210 W/(m·K) at 25 °C. Materion says it is used for heat sinks and structures in aircraft and satellite avionics. Its wrought strength is lower than 2024-T6 aluminium, and the beryllium content makes dust control a requirement in machining.
best_for: 'Light, stiff heat-spreading structures for avionics and satellites: 193 GPa modulus and 210 W/(m·K) thermal conductivity at about 2.1 g/cm3 (Materion data)'
weakest_at: Wrought tensile strength below 2024-T6 aluminium (Materion), beryllium dust in machining, and space heritage that rests on the manufacturer's own statements
identity:
  formula: Aluminium-beryllium metal matrix composite, nominally 62 wt% Be and 38 wt% Al (Be 60.0 to 64.0 wt% per the AM162H specification; Al by difference)
  source: materion-am162h
  where: 'Section 2.1 chemical composition table (Be minimum 60.0 and maximum 64.0 weight %, Al by difference); composition 62% beryllium/38% aluminum in the Materion AVIONICS MATERIALS brochure (MAE-002-0). Process: gas-atomized powder, cold isostatic pressing, canning and extrusion with a minimum 4:1 reduction (Materion datasheet)'
  designations:
    - system: Trade name
      code: AlBeMet
      source: materion-datasheet
      where: Title block, AlBeMet Property Datasheet
    - system: Trade name
      code: AM162
      source: materion-datasheet
      where: Physical properties table, column AM162
    - system: Trade name
      code: AM162H
      note: hot isostatic pressed (HIP) product specification
      source: materion-am162h
      where: Title and section 1.1 (AM162H, produced by HIP)
tags:
  environments: []
  stresses: []
  applications:
    - structures
    - thermal-control
    - electronics-and-chips
    - optics-and-cameras
properties:
  - benchmark: density
    label: Density, AM162 wrought (physical properties table)
    value: 2.1
    unit: g/cm3
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: AM162 wrought; form not stated in this table
      unit_in_source: g/cm3 (lbs/in3) 2.10 (0.076)
    method: Value printed in a manufacturer property datasheet. The same datasheet's comparison table gives 2.071 g/cm3 for the same grade (next row); the two values disagree.
    status: ground
    note: The same datasheet's physical properties table lists 2.77 g/cm3 for 2024T6 and 2.70 g/cm3 for 6061T6 aluminium.
    source: materion-datasheet
    where: Physical properties table, row Density, column AM 162
  - benchmark: density
    label: Density, HIP'd, extruded and rolled AM162
    value: 2.071
    unit: g/cm3
    scope: material
    conditions:
      forms: HIP'd; extruded rod, bar and tube; rolled sheet (the same value is printed for all three)
      unit_in_source: g/cm3 (lb/in3) 2.071 (0.0748)
    method: Value printed in the comparison table of a manufacturer property datasheet
    status: ground
    source: materion-datasheet
    where: Comparison table, row Density
  - benchmark: density
    label: Bulk density range, AM162H specification
    value: 2.071
    value_high: 2.122
    bound: range
    unit: g/cm3
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: AM162H, HIP'd product heat-treated 24 hours at 593 C
      method_in_source: water displacement
      unit_in_source: g/cm3 (lbs/in3) minimum 2.071 (0.075), maximum 2.122 (0.077)
    method: Minimum and maximum printed in the Materion AM162H specification, section 3.1
    status: ground
    source: materion-am162h
    where: Section 3.1 density table, row AM162; section 3.2 for the method
  - benchmark: elastic_modulus
    label: Modulus of elasticity, AM162 wrought (physical properties table)
    value: 193
    unit: GPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: AM162 wrought; form and temperature not stated in this table
      unit_in_source: GPa (Msi) 193 (28)
    method: Value printed in a manufacturer property datasheet
    status: ground
    note: The same datasheet's physical properties table lists 72 GPa for 2024T6 and 70 GPa for 6061T6 aluminium.
    source: materion-datasheet
    where: Physical properties table, row Modulus
  - benchmark: elastic_modulus
    label: Typical modulus, extruded rod, bar and tube
    value: 202
    unit: GPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      form: extruded rod, bar and tube
      basis: typical value
      unit_in_source: GPa (Msi) 202 (29)
    method: Typical value printed in the comparison table of a manufacturer property datasheet
    status: ground
    note: The same table gives 197 GPa typical for HIP'd product and 193 GPa typical for rolled sheet.
    source: materion-datasheet
    where: Comparison table, row Typical Modulus
  - benchmark: poissons_ratio
    label: Poisson's ratio, AM162 wrought
    value: 0.17
    unit: '-'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: AM162 wrought; form and temperature not stated
    method: Value printed in a manufacturer property datasheet
    status: ground
    source: materion-datasheet
    where: Physical properties table, row Poisson's Ratio
  - benchmark: cte
    label: Coefficient of thermal expansion at 25 C, all forms
    value: 13.91
    unit: ppm/K
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 25 C
      form: HIP'd, extruded and rolled sheet (the same value printed for all three)
      unit_in_source: ppm/C (ppm/F) 13.91 (7.73)
    method: Value printed in the comparison table of a manufacturer property datasheet. The unit ppm/C is the same as ppm/K.
    status: ground
    note: The same table gives 22.9 ppm/C for 2024T6 and 23.6 ppm/C for 6061T6 at 25 C. The physical properties table prints 13.9 ppm/C for AM162.
    source: materion-datasheet
    where: Comparison table, row Coefficient of Thermal Expansion at 25 C
  - benchmark: thermal_conductivity
    label: Thermal conductivity at 25 C, all forms
    value: 210
    unit: W/(m·K)
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 25 C
      form: HIP'd, extruded and rolled sheet (the same value printed for all three)
      unit_in_source: W/m-K (Btu/hr-ft-F) 210 (121)
    method: Value printed in the comparison table of a manufacturer property datasheet
    status: ground
    note: The same table gives 151 W/m-K for 2024T6 and 167 W/m-K for 6061T6 at 25 C.
    source: materion-datasheet
    where: Comparison table, row Thermal Conductivity at 25 C
  - benchmark: specific_heat
    label: Specific heat capacity at 20 C, AM162 wrought
    value: 1465
    unit: J/(kg·K)
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 20 C
      unit_in_source: J/Kg K (BTU/lb F) 1465 (0.350)
    method: Value printed in a manufacturer property datasheet
    status: ground
    note: The lookpolymers.com reseller page prints 1.56 J/g-C at 20.0 C (1560 J/(kg·K)), which disagrees with the manufacturer's 1465; this profile uses the manufacturer value.
    source: materion-datasheet
    where: Physical properties table, row Specific Heat
  - benchmark: electrical_conductivity
    label: Electrical conductivity at 20 C, AM162 wrought
    value: 49
    unit: '%IACS'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 20 C
      product: AM162 wrought
    method: Value printed in a manufacturer property datasheet
    status: ground
    source: materion-datasheet
    where: Physical properties table, row Electrical Conductivity @ 20 C
  - benchmark: electrical_resistivity
    label: Electrical resistivity at 20 C, AM162
    value: 0.0000035
    unit: ohm-cm
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 20 C
      unit_in_source: 0.00000350 ohm-cm
    method: Value printed on a reseller product page (lookpolymers.com) that reproduces Materion data; the page does not name a primary test. Consistent in order of magnitude with the 49 %IACS datasheet value.
    status: ground
    source: lookpolymers-am162
    where: Electrical Properties table, Electrical Resistivity row
  - benchmark: melting_point
    label: Melting range, solidus to liquidus
    value: 644
    value_high: 1180
    bound: range
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      basis: solidus 644 C and liquidus 1180 C printed as the melting range
      unit_in_source: 644 - 1180 C (1190 - 2160 F)
    method: Values printed on a reseller product page (lookpolymers.com) that reproduces Materion data
    status: ground
    source: lookpolymers-am162
    where: Thermal Properties table, rows Melting Point, Solidus and Liquidus
  - benchmark: yield_strength
    label: Minimum yield strength, HIP'd AM162H
    value: 193
    bound: lower
    unit: MPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: AM162H, HIP'd billet
      heat_treatment: 24 hours at 593 C
      test: room temperature, ASTM E-8
      unit_in_source: ksi (MPa) 28 (193)
    method: Minimum value printed in a manufacturer material specification; determined for each material lot
    status: ground
    source: materion-am162h
    where: Section 4.1, row Yield Strength
  - benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
    label: Minimum ultimate tensile strength, HIP'd AM162H
    value: 262
    bound: lower
    unit: MPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: AM162H, HIP'd billet
      heat_treatment: 24 hours at 593 C
      test: room temperature, ASTM E-8
      unit_in_source: ksi (MPa) 38 (262)
    method: Minimum value printed in a manufacturer material specification
    status: ground
    source: materion-am162h
    where: Section 4.1, row Ultimate Strength
  - benchmark: elongation
    label: Minimum elongation, HIP'd AM162H
    value: 2
    bound: lower
    unit: '%'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      product: AM162H, HIP'd billet
      heat_treatment: 24 hours at 593 C
      test: room temperature, ASTM E-8
    method: Minimum value printed in a manufacturer material specification
    status: ground
    source: materion-am162h
    where: Section 4.1, row Elongation
  - benchmark: yield_strength
    label: Minimum yield strength, extruded rod, bar and tube
    value: 276
    bound: lower
    unit: MPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      form: extruded rod, bar and tube
      direction: longitudinal (mechanical values are in the direction of extrusion, per the datasheet footnote)
      unit_in_source: MPa (Ksi) 276 (40)
    method: Minimum value printed in the comparison table of a manufacturer property datasheet. The reseller page lookpolymers.com also prints 276 MPa as the minimum yield for extruded bar.
    status: ground
    source: materion-datasheet
    where: Comparison table, row Minimum Yield Strength, column Extruded Rod, Bar, Tube
  - benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
    label: Minimum ultimate tensile strength, extruded rod, bar and tube
    value: 400
    bound: lower
    unit: MPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      form: extruded rod, bar and tube
      direction: in the direction of extrusion
      unit_in_source: MPa (Ksi) 400 (58)
    method: Minimum value printed in the comparison table of a manufacturer property datasheet. The reseller page lookpolymers.com prints a minimum of 379 MPa for the same product; the two sources disagree and both are recorded here.
    status: ground
    note: The datasheet's rolled sheet minimum is 379 MPa (55 ksi) and its HIP'd minimum is 262 MPa (38 ksi).
    source: materion-datasheet
    where: Comparison table, row Minimum Ultimate Strength, column Extruded Rod, Bar, Tube
  - benchmark: yield_strength
    label: Typical yield strength, extruded bar after 593 C for 24 h
    value: 328
    unit: MPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      form: extruded bar
      heat_treatment: 593 C for 24 hours
      test: room temperature
      basis: typical value
      unit_in_source: MPa (Ksi) 328 (48)
    method: Typical value printed in a manufacturer property datasheet (the brochure prints 328 MPa (47 ksi) for the same condition)
    status: ground
    note: The same table gives 221 MPa for HIP'd and 314 MPa for rolled sheet under the same heat treatment.
    source: materion-datasheet
    where: Table Typical Tensile Yield Strength at Room Temperature, row Extruded Bar
  - benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
    label: Typical ultimate tensile strength, extruded bar after 593 C for 24 h
    value: 439
    unit: MPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      form: extruded bar
      heat_treatment: 593 C for 24 hours
      test: room temperature
      basis: typical value
      unit_in_source: MPa (Ksi) 439 (64)
    method: Typical value printed in a manufacturer property datasheet
    status: ground
    note: The same table gives 288 MPa for HIP'd and 413 MPa for rolled sheet under the same heat treatment.
    source: materion-datasheet
    where: Table Typical Tensile Yield Strength at Room Temperature, row Extruded Bar, column Ultimate Strength
  - benchmark: elongation
    label: Typical elongation, extruded bar after 593 C for 24 h
    value: 9
    unit: '%'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      form: extruded bar
      heat_treatment: 593 C for 24 hours
      test: room temperature
      basis: typical value
    method: Typical value printed in a manufacturer property datasheet
    status: ground
    source: materion-datasheet
    where: Table Typical Tensile Yield Strength at Room Temperature, row Extruded Bar, column Elongation
  - benchmark: fatigue_strength
    label: Rotating-beam fatigue strength at 1 x 10^8 cycles, extruded product
    value: 207
    unit: MPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      form: extruded product, transverse direction
      test: Krause rotating beam, fully reversed, R=-1
      cycles: 1 x 10^8
      unit_in_source: about 207 MPa (30 ksi)
    method: Value printed in the fatigue section of a Materion brochure. The brochure states the limit is about 75 % of the minimum room-temperature yield strength.
    status: ground
    note: The reseller page lookpolymers.com prints 165 MPa at 1.00e+7 cycles transverse and 207 MPa longitudinal, with R=0.1. The two sources differ in cycle count, direction and R-ratio, so the values are not interchangeable.
    source: materion-brochure
    where: Fatigue Properties section, text and Fig. 1
  - benchmark: fracture_toughness
    label: Fracture toughness K1c, AM162 (datasheet range)
    value: 11
    value_high: 23
    bound: range
    unit: MPa√m
    scope: material
    conditions:
      form: AM162 wrought; form and orientation not stated in this table
      unit_in_source: ksi√in (MPa√m) 10-21 (11-23)
    method: Range printed in the physical properties table of a manufacturer property datasheet
    status: ground
    note: The reseller page lookpolymers.com gives average K_IC values of 10.2, 10.8, 11.3 and 23.9 MPa√m by orientation (SL, ST, TL, LT).
    source: materion-datasheet
    where: Physical properties table, row Fracture Toughness K1c, column AM162
corrosion:
  - environment: 3.5 % NaCl solution under constant stress, 30 days (C-ring test, ASTM G38-73, Materion)
    headline: No stress-corrosion cracking in 30 days of salt-solution testing for AM 162 sheet and extruded product.
    effect: Materion tested AM 162 sheet and extruded product with ASTM G38-73 C-ring specimens taken in four orientations, held 30 days in 3.5 % NaCl under constant strain, and reports no susceptibility to stress-corrosion cracking. ESTEC (European Space Agency materials laboratory) tested subsize specimens loaded to 75 % of the 0.2 % proof stress, immersed in 3.5 % NaCl for 10 minutes and dried for 50 minutes, repeated for 30 days. None failed, and a later tensile test showed no degradation.
    rating: low
    conditions:
      test_materion: ASTM G38-73 C-ring, 30 days, 3.5 % NaCl, constant strain
      test_estec: ASTM E8-m subsize, 75 % of 0.2 % proof stress, 30 days cycled immersion
      stress_table: AM 162 test stress 291 MPa, average Rp0.2 407 MPa (Table 4)
    source: materion-brochure
    where: Stress Corrosion Cracking section and Table 4 (ESTEC Stress Corrosion Cracking Test Results)
  - environment: 500 hour salt fog test for an electronic module, with a protective finish
    headline: Passed a 500 hour salt fog test only with anodizing, electroless nickel or cadmium over nickel.
    effect: Materion says one electronic module had to pass a 500 hour salt fog test. The brochure reports that this was met by anodizing (Class 1, Type 1), by electroless nickel plating, or by cadmium plating over nickel. Chemical conversion coating (Alodine) and BR 127 sprayed adhesive primer are also named as coatings used on AlBeMet parts.
    rating: low
    conditions:
      exposure: 500 hour salt fog
      finishes: anodizing Class 1 Type 1; electroless nickel; cadmium over nickel
      basis: manufacturer statement; test standard not named
    source: materion-brochure
    where: Coating section
risks:
  hazards:
    - text: PubChem's aggregated ECHA C&L summary for elemental beryllium (21 notifications from 400 company reports) lists H301, H315, H317, H319, H330, H335, H350, H350i and H372, with the signal word Danger. The percentages are the share of reports that gave each code; H350i (26.5 %) and H350 (71.8 %) are both listed. The alloy is 60 to 64 % beryllium, so these codes are a guide for the metal, not a classification of the alloy.
      ghs:
        - H301
        - H315
        - H317
        - H319
        - H330
        - H335
        - H350
        - H350i
        - H372
      source: pubchem-be
      where: Safety and Hazards, GHS Classification, ECHA C&L Notifications Summary (CID 5460467, Beryllium)
    - text: 'OSHA workplace limit for beryllium in air: 0.2 ug/m3 as an 8-hour time-weighted average, 2.0 ug/m3 over a 15-minute sampling period, and an action level of 0.1 ug/m3 as an 8-hour average (29 CFR 1910.1024, paragraphs (b) and (c)).'
      ghs: []
      source: osha-1910-1024
      where: Paragraph (c)(1) and (c)(2); action level definition in paragraph (b)
  failure_risks:
    - mode: Notch sensitivity in AM 162 sheet
      trigger: Sharp notches or stress concentrations in sheet product
      consequence: The Materion brochure cites old Lockalloy data giving a notch strength ratio of 0.98 for the sheet, and says there may be some notch sensitivity that will be tested later. The extruded product showed notch strengthening (notch ratios 1.3 to 1.6 in Table 3).
      severity: low
      source: materion-brochure
      where: Notched Strength/Pin Bearing Strength section and Table 3
    - mode: Fatigue at high cycle counts
      trigger: Cyclic loading at 1 x 10^8 cycles, transverse direction of extruded product
      consequence: The brochure gives a fatigue limit of about 207 MPa (30 ksi), which it says is about 75 % of the minimum room-temperature yield strength of the product. The reseller page prints lower values for the transverse direction at 1 x 10^7 cycles, so the design value depends on the source used.
      severity: moderate
      source: materion-brochure
      where: Fatigue Properties section
  side_effects:
    - text: Machining wears tools faster than aluminium. The brochure says cutting is 15 to 20 % slower than 6061-T6, and tool wear is typically two times that of aluminium because the beryllium in the matrix is abrasive.
      affects: Tool cost and machining time
      source: materion-brochure
      where: Fabrication Technologies, Machining
    - text: Machining and forming produce fine airborne beryllium particles that can pose a health risk to people sensitive to beryllium. The brochure says a facility able to handle beryllium-containing materials is needed.
      affects: Workers and the machining facility
      source: materion-brochure
      where: Fabrication Technologies, Machining
  handling:
    - text: Materion says handling AlBeMet in solid form poses no special health risk. The same company notes that inhaled airborne beryllium may cause a serious lung disorder in susceptible people, and that the safety data sheet must be read before working with the material.
      source: materion-datasheet
      where: Handling paragraph at the foot of the datasheet
    - text: Form sheet at over 200 C (400 F), a higher temperature than aluminium forming. The forming rate is slightly slower, especially for severe bends.
      source: materion-brochure
      where: Fabrication Technologies, Forming
    - text: Specify the form and heat treatment. The AM162H minimum values apply to material heat-treated for 24 hours at 593 C, and mechanical test lots use the same treatment.
      source: materion-am162h
      where: Sections 4.2 and 4.3
    - text: For electron-beam welding, the nickel plating must be stripped completely first. The NASA mirror demonstration removed the nickel before cutting and welding the segments.
      source: nasa-tb-2012
      where: Welded segmented mirror text
  mitigations:
    - text: Use anodizing, electroless nickel plating or cadmium plating over nickel as protective finishes. The brochure reports these passed a 500 hour salt fog test.
      source: materion-brochure
      where: Coating section
    - text: Process in a facility built for beryllium-containing materials so fine airborne particles are removed at source (brochure).
      source: materion-brochure
      where: Fabrication Technologies, Machining
uses:
  - application: structures
    device: 'Satellite structure: separation brackets and vertical gussets on the ORBCOMM satellite'
    example: Materion says AM 162 separation brackets and vertical gussets on an ORBCOMM satellite showed no cracks after repeated separation tests, and that the spacecraft needed a material at least equal to 6061-T6 aluminium to survive the Pegasus launch transient. The brochure is a manufacturer document; it is not an independent flight record.
    source: materion-brochure
    where: Mechanical Properties Tensile Strength text and Notched Strength/Pin Bearing Strength text
  - application: electronics-and-chips
    device: Avionics heat sinks and covers (SEM-E format)
    example: The Materion brochure shows AlBeMet SEM-E heat sinks and covers and gives a density of 2.1 g/cc with a modulus of 193 GPa, which it says is four times the stiffness of aluminium for the same weight. Materion says the material is used for heat sinks and structural parts in aircraft and satellite avionics.
    source: materion-brochure
    where: Introduction, photo caption (AIBeMet SEM-E heat sinks and covers) and Physical Properties paragraph
  - application: optics-and-cameras
    device: Segmented welded mirror substrate (ground demonstration; not flown)
    example: NASA Goddard's Phase I study welded four segments of AlBeMet AM162H into a plano mirror. The monolithic mirror reached a surface figure of nearly 1/4 wave (0.286 lambda) at 633 nm, and the segmented mirror reached a surface figure of less than 0.7 at 633 nm.
    source: nasa-tb-2012
    where: Lightweight Metal Matrix Composite Segmented for Manufacturing High-Precision Mirrors (NASA Tech Briefs, September 2012, GSC-16165-1)
supply:
  - subject: Beryllium
    abundance: 2.8 ppm in the Earth's crust (USGS Professional Paper 1802-A, Table A1, from Jefferson Science Associates 2014)
    producers:
      - country: United States
        share_percent: 53.5
        year: 2025
      - country: Brazil
        share_percent: 18.6
        year: 2025
      - country: China
        share_percent: 17.9
        year: 2025
      - country: Nigeria
        share_percent: 9.3
        year: 2025
    critical_lists:
      - list: USGS 2025 Final List of Critical Minerals (Beryllium listed)
        listed: true
      - list: EU critical raw materials list (Regulation (EU) 2024/1252, Beryllium listed)
        listed: true
    recycling: 'USGS: beryllium recovered from new and old scrap may account for as much as 20 % to 25 % of total consumption. The leading U.S. producer recovers about 40 % of the beryllium content of alloy scrap.'
    substitutes:
      - 'USGS: certain metal matrix or organic composites, high-strength grades of aluminum, pyrolytic graphite, silicon carbide, steel or titanium may be substituted for beryllium metal or beryllium composites, with some loss of performance.'
    source: usgs-mcs2026-beryllium
    where: World Mine Production and Reserves table, 2025e (world total 430 t of beryllium content, rounded; shares calculated by Space Mushroom from the country values 230, 80, 77 and 40 t). Recycling; Substitutes. Abundance from USGS PP 1802-A Table A1.
  - subject: Aluminium (feedstock as bauxite)
    abundance: Global bauxite resources estimated at 55 billion to 75 billion tons (USGS)
    producers:
      - country: China
        share_percent: 60.8
        year: 2025
      - country: India
        share_percent: 5.7
        year: 2025
      - country: Russia
        share_percent: 5.3
        year: 2025
      - country: Canada
        share_percent: 4.5
        year: 2025
    critical_lists:
      - list: USGS 2025 Final List of Critical Minerals (Aluminum listed)
        listed: true
      - list: EU critical raw materials list (aluminium merged with bauxite, which is listed)
        listed: true
    recycling: 'USGS: about 3.6 million tons of aluminum were recovered from purchased scrap in the United States in 2025; about 56 % came from new scrap and 44 % from old scrap.'
    substitutes:
      - 'USGS: composites, magnesium, steel and titanium can substitute for aluminum in ground transportation; copper can replace aluminum in electrical and heat-exchange applications.'
    source: usgs-mcs2026-aluminum
    where: World Smelter Production and Capacity table, 2025e (world total 74,000 thousand t, rounded; shares calculated by Space Mushroom); Recycling; Substitutes; World Resources
media: []
documents:
  - title: AlBeMet Property Datasheet, Materion (MAAB-017-1015)
    type: datasheet
    url: https://hkvxni.files.cmp.optimizely.com/download/d896d6d2a04211ee94aa3aa4a5458726
  - title: AlBeMet Material Specification AM162H, Rev. B (effective August 20, 2018), Materion
    type: standard
    url: https://hkvxni.files.cmp.optimizely.com/download/58de5f2ccc4911eea8694e00a5bca88f
    year: 2018
  - title: Materion AVIONICS MATERIALS brochure, Beryllium Metal Matrix Composite (MAE-002-0)
    type: datasheet
    url: https://hkvxni.files.cmp.optimizely.com/download/004709dccc4d11eeb0c44e00a5bca88f
  - title: 'NASA Tech Briefs: Lightweight Metal Matrix Composite Segmented for Manufacturing High-Precision Mirrors (NTRS 20120014110)'
    type: report
    url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20120014110
    year: 2012
  - title: 'USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Beryllium'
    type: report
    url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-beryllium.pdf
    year: 2026
  - title: 'USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Aluminum'
    type: report
    url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-aluminum.pdf
    year: 2026
  - title: 'PubChem compound record: Beryllium (CID 5460467), GHS classification summary'
    type: database
    url: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/5460467
  - title: 29 CFR 1910.1024 Beryllium (OSHA)
    type: standard
    url: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.1024
gaps:
  - No UNS, EN, ASTM or AMS designation for AM162 was printed in any source we read; only the trade names and the Materion AM162H specification code are recorded.
  - No independent flight data for the alloy. The ORBCOMM satellite use and the ESTEC approval for satellite structures are Materion statements; the ESA approval document, its scope and any ECSS qualification were not found.
  - No outgassing, total mass loss, collected volatile condensable material, thermal vacuum or radiation result for AM162 was found in a source we could open.
  - No atomic oxygen erosion or oxidation result for the alloy was found; the beryllium-aluminium oxide behaviour in low Earth orbit is unknown from our sources.
  - No galvanic corrosion data against other spacecraft metals, and no humidity or atmospheric corrosion rate for AM162, were found.
  - Cryogenic and high-temperature tensile data beyond the brochure's notch and bearing table (-195 C and 200 C) were not found; the brochure says tensile properties rise at low temperature and fall at high temperature without numbers.
  - Aluminium crustal abundance is not in USGS PP 1802-A Table A1 (the table covers beryllium and lithium here), so no abundance number is recorded for aluminium.
  - The electroless nickel phosphorus content matched to the CTE, which Wikipedia mentions without a citation, was not used because no primary source for it was found.
  - PubChem hazard codes describe elemental beryllium, not the 62 wt% alloy; no alloy-specific GHS classification was found.
  - Fracture toughness has no canonical benchmark name in the property canon; the name fracture_toughness is used here and is not yet in the shared list.
sources:
  materion-datasheet:
    title: 'AlBeMet Property Datasheet (Materion Beryllium and Composites, MAAB-017-1015): Physical properties of AlBeMet 162 compared to common aluminum; AM162 comparison table; typical tensile properties; handling'
    url: https://hkvxni.files.cmp.optimizely.com/download/d896d6d2a04211ee94aa3aa4a5458726
    kind: datasheet
    license: Manufacturer datasheet (cited, not reproduced)
  materion-am162h:
    title: AlBeMet Material Specification AM162H, Rev. B (Materion Beryllium and Composites, effective August 20, 2018)
    id: AM162H, HIP'd AlBeMet
    url: https://hkvxni.files.cmp.optimizely.com/download/58de5f2ccc4911eea8694e00a5bca88f
    year: 2018
    kind: standard
    license: Manufacturer specification (cited, not reproduced)
  materion-brochure:
    title: 'Beryllium Metal Matrix Composite: AVIONICS MATERIALS (Materion Beryllium and Composites, MAE-002-0)'
    url: https://hkvxni.files.cmp.optimizely.com/download/004709dccc4d11eeb0c44e00a5bca88f
    kind: datasheet
    license: Manufacturer brochure (cited, not reproduced)
  lookpolymers-am162:
    title: Materion AlBeMet AM 162 Extruded Bar, Annealed (LookPolymers product page reproducing Materion values)
    url: https://www.lookpolymers.com/polymer_Materion-AlBeMet-AM-162-Extruded-Bar-Annealed.php
    kind: web
    license: Reseller product page (cited, not reproduced)
  nasa-tb-2012:
    title: Lightweight Metal Matrix Composite Segmented for Manufacturing High-Precision Mirrors (Vudler, Hardric Laboratories for NASA Goddard Space Flight Center; NASA Tech Briefs, September 2012, GSC-16165-1)
    id: NTRS 20120014110
    url: https://ntrs.nasa.gov/citations/20120014110
    year: 2012
    kind: report
    license: public domain (NASA)
  usgs-mcs2026-beryllium:
    title: 'Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Beryllium (USGS, February 2026)'
    id: USGS MCS 2026
    url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-beryllium.pdf
    year: 2026
    kind: report
    license: public domain (USGS)
  usgs-mcs2026-aluminum:
    title: 'Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Aluminum (USGS, February 2026)'
    id: USGS MCS 2026
    url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-aluminum.pdf
    year: 2026
    kind: report
    license: public domain (USGS)
  usgs-pp1802a:
    title: 'Critical Mineral Resources of the United States: An Introduction (Professional Paper 1802-A), Table A1, crustal abundances'
    id: USGS PP 1802-A
    url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/pp/1802/a/pp1802a.pdf
    year: 2017
    kind: report
    license: public domain (USGS)
  usgs-crit2025:
    title: About the 2025 List of Critical Minerals (USGS, final list)
    id: Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals
    url: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/mineral-resources-program/science/about-2025-list-critical-minerals
    year: 2025
    kind: web
    license: public domain (USGS)
  ec-crm:
    title: Critical raw materials (European Commission, list under Regulation (EU) 2024/1252)
    id: Regulation (EU) 2024/1252
    url: https://single-market-economy.ec.europa.eu/sectors/raw-materials/areas-specific-interest/critical-raw-materials_en
    year: 2024
    kind: web
    license: European Commission web page (cited, not reproduced)
  pubchem-be:
    title: 'PubChem compound record: Beryllium (CID 5460467), GHS classification (ECHA C&L Inventory summary)'
    id: CID 5460467; CAS 7440-41-7
    url: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/compound/5460467
    kind: database
    license: public domain (NCBI); classifications attributed to ECHA
  osha-1910-1024:
    title: 29 CFR 1910.1024 Beryllium (OSHA, Occupational Safety and Health Standards, general industry)
    url: https://www.osha.gov/laws-regs/regulations/standardnumber/1910/1910.1024
    kind: standard
    license: public domain (US federal regulation)
  wikipedia-besal:
    title: Beryllium-aluminium alloy (Wikipedia), history and production process only
    url: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Beryllium-aluminium_alloy
    kind: web
    license: CC BY-SA 4.0 (cited, not reproduced)
license: CC-BY-4.0
updated: '2026-11-01'
review:
  status: draft
  method: assistant
  checked_values: 22
  unreachable: 0
  caveats: 4
  note: 'Values read by an AI assistant on 2026-11-01 from the Materion datasheet, AM162H specification and brochure PDFs, the NASA tech brief, the USGS 2026 summaries, and the PubChem and OSHA pages. Caveats: density (2.071 and 2.10 g/cm3) and minimum ultimate strength (400 and 379 MPa) disagree between sources; the fatigue values differ by test condition; the ESA approval rests on Materion''s statement.'
story:
  recipe:
    line: AM162 is a beryllium-aluminium composite made by powder metallurgy, not by melting and casting. Materion gas-atomizes an aluminium-beryllium alloy into spherical powder, cold isostatically presses the powder into semi-dense billets, cans the billets and extrudes them with a minimum 4:1 reduction (Materion datasheet). The brochure also names hot isostatic pressing (HIP) and sheet rolling as routes to the same grade.
    parts:
      - name: Beryllium
        symbol: Be
        share_percent: 60
        share_high: 64
        role: The stiff, light, low-expansion phase. The AM162H specification sets the beryllium content between 60.0 and 64.0 weight %, and the brochure gives a nominal 62 %.
        source: materion-am162h
        where: Section 2.1 chemical composition table
      - name: Aluminium
        symbol: Al
        share_note: balance (38 % nominal per the brochure; the specification determines aluminium by difference)
        role: The matrix that makes up the rest of the composition. The specification gives no separate range for it.
        source: materion-am162h
        where: Chemical composition section and its method note (aluminium by difference)
      - name: Oxygen
        symbol: O
        share_high: 1
        share_note: maximum 1.0 weight %
        role: Impurity, set as a maximum by the specification.
        source: materion-am162h
        where: Section 2.1 chemical composition table
      - name: Carbon
        symbol: C
        share_high: 0.1
        share_note: maximum 0.1 weight %
        role: Impurity, set as a maximum by the specification.
        source: materion-am162h
        where: Section 2.1 chemical composition table
  risk_groups:
    - title: For people
      level: 1
      verdict: Dust is the concern
      lead: The alloy is 60 to 64 % beryllium by weight. Materion says the solid poses no special health risk when safe-handling rules are followed, but beryllium dust and fume carry serious health risks.
      points:
        - label: The metal
          line: PubChem's aggregated ECHA summary for elemental beryllium lists H330 (fatal if inhaled) and H372 (damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure), with the signal word Danger. The same summary lists H350 and H350i (may cause cancer; by inhalation).
        - label: Workplace limit
          line: US law sets the beryllium limit in air at 0.2 ug/m3 as an 8-hour average and 2.0 ug/m3 over 15 minutes, with an action level of 0.1 ug/m3.
        - label: Machining
          line: Machining and forming give off fine airborne particles. The brochure says a facility able to handle beryllium-containing material is needed to remove them.
    - title: Design limits
      level: 1
      verdict: Known limits, no failures reported
      lead: The sources report no failures in service. The limits below are data points a designer must allow for.
      points:
        - label: Sharp notches
          line: Materion cites old data with a notch strength ratio of 0.98 for sheet and says there may be some notch sensitivity, to be tested.
        - label: Fatigue
          line: The brochure gives a fatigue limit of about 207 MPa at 1 x 10^8 cycles, transverse, about 75 % of the minimum room-temperature yield strength.
    - title: Handling and processing
      points:
        - label: Forming
          line: Sheet is formed at over 200 C (400 F). Tool wear in machining is about two times that of aluminium.
        - label: Heat treatment
          line: Specify the form and heat treatment. The AM162H minimum values apply to material heat-treated 24 hours at 593 C.
  why: AlBeMet AM162 is a beryllium-aluminium metal matrix composite with about 62 wt% beryllium and 38 wt% aluminium, made by Materion, the company formerly known as Brush Wellman. Its density is 2.071 g/cm3 in one Materion table and 2.10 g/cm3 in another, which is lighter than 2024-T6 (2.77 g/cm3) and 6061-T6 (2.70 g/cm3) aluminium. It is stiffer than aluminium, with an elastic modulus of 193 GPa and a thermal conductivity of 210 W/(m·K) at 25 C. Materion sells it for avionics heat sinks and satellite structures, and reports an ESTEC approval for satellite structures that we could not check against an ESA document.
  uses:
    - where: Satellite structures
      line: Materion says AM 162 separation brackets and gussets on the ORBCOMM satellite showed no cracks after repeated separation tests. The company reports an ESA approval for satellite structures. We found no ESA document to confirm the scope of that approval.
    - where: Avionics heat sinks
      line: Materion's brochure shows SEM-E heat sinks and covers made from the alloy for aircraft and satellite avionics.
    - where: Space mirror, ground demonstration
      line: A 2012 NASA Goddard study welded four AlBeMet AM162H segments into a mirror. The segmented mirror reached a surface figure of less than 0.7 at 633 nm. It was a Phase I feasibility study and no flight is recorded.
  can_do:
    - label: Stiffness
      benchmark: elastic_modulus
      line: The elastic modulus is 193 GPa in the Materion datasheet's physical properties table, and the brochure says its stiffness per unit weight is four times that of aluminium.
    - label: Heat spreading
      benchmark: thermal_conductivity
      line: Thermal conductivity is 210 W/(m·K) at 25 C in the Materion comparison table.
    - label: Thermal expansion
      benchmark: cte
      line: The coefficient of thermal expansion is 13.91 ppm/K at 25 C, against 22.9 ppm/C for 2024-T6 and 23.6 ppm/C for 6061-T6 in the same table.
    - label: Wrought strength
      value: 276 MPa minimum
      benchmark: yield_strength
      line: Extruded bar has a minimum yield strength of 276 MPa, and a typical yield of 328 MPa after 593 C for 24 hours.
    - label: Electrical conduction
      benchmark: electrical_conductivity
      line: Electrical conductivity is 49 %IACS at 20 C in the Materion physical properties table.
  compare: Materion's datasheet compares AM162 with 2024-T6 and 6061-T6 aluminium. AM162 is lighter (2.10 g/cm3 against 2.77 and 2.70), has a higher modulus (193 GPa against 72 and 70 GPa), a lower thermal expansion (13.9 ppm/C against 22.9 and 23.6), and a higher thermal conductivity (210 W/m-K against 151 and 167). Its wrought tensile strength is below 2024-T6 and comparable to 6061-T6, according to the same datasheet.
  compare_rows:
    - label: Density
      benchmark: density
    - label: Thermal conductivity
      benchmark: thermal_conductivity
    - label: Thermal expansion
      benchmark: cte
  handling:
    - Specify the form and heat treatment. The AM162H minimum values apply to material heat-treated 24 hours at 593 C.
    - Machine with carbide tools at speeds about 15 to 20 % slower than 6061-T6. Tool wear is about two times that of aluminium.
    - Form sheet at over 200 C (400 F).
    - Use a facility built for beryllium-containing materials to remove fine airborne particles.
    - Strip the nickel plating before electron-beam welding, as the NASA mirror study did.
  good_for:
    - 'Light, stiff heat spreaders: 193 GPa and 210 W/(m·K) at about 2.1 g/cm3, per Materion.'
    - 'Parts that must hold shape across temperature changes: 13.91 ppm/K at 25 C.'
    - 'Salt-solution exposure: no stress-corrosion cracking in 30 days of 3.5 % NaCl testing, per Materion''s brochure.'
  watch_out:
    - Wrought strength is below 2024-T6 aluminium, and the minimum tensile strength of extruded product is quoted as 400 MPa by Materion and 379 MPa by a reseller.
    - 'Beryllium dust: the solid is low risk according to Materion, but machining dust is a serious inhalation hazard.'
    - The density is 2.071 g/cm3 in one Materion table and 2.10 g/cm3 in another. Check the specification revision before design.
    - Space heritage rests on the manufacturer's statements; we found no independent outgassing, atomic oxygen or flight data for the alloy.
  verdict: AM162 is a light, stiff beryllium-aluminium composite for avionics heat sinks and satellite structures, supported by Materion's own test data, including no stress-corrosion cracking in 30 days of 3.5 % NaCl testing. The beryllium content requires dust control in processing, and the space record we found comes from the manufacturer and a 2012 ground demonstration.