Nickel-beryllium alloy 360 (UNS N03360) NiBe2
Ni with 1.85 to 2.05 wt% Be and 0.4 to 0.6 wt% Ti
Also known as UNS N03360, Alloy 360, NiBe2
Alloy 360 (UNS N03360, also called NiBe2) is a nickel alloy with 1.85 to 2.05 wt% beryllium and 0.4 to 0.6 wt% titanium, sold as strip in soft and hard tempers and age-hardened to high strength.
Evidence level
2 of 5
Lab-measured
- 0Predicted only. No one has made it, or no measurement exists.
- 1Calculated. Only calculated or predicted values from sources.
- 2Lab-measured. Measured properties with their conditions stated.
- 3Space-relevant tests. Measured in conditions relevant to space, such as vacuum or atomic oxygen.
- 4Ground-qualified. Qualified for an application on the ground.
- 5Flown or field-proven. Flight or field results exist.
Strength when aged
1590 MPa yield minimum
Stiffness
195 to 210 GPa
Conductivity
6 %IACS minimum
Fatigue
586 to 655 MPa
Recipe, share of the weight
- Ni not statedNickel
- Be not statedBeryllium
- Ti not statedTitanium
- Cu not statedCopper
- Fe not statedIron
- Si not statedSilicon
Best for
Thin spring parts that must keep their force at 200 C or higher, such as sprinkler-head Belleville washers, thermostats, bellows and test sockets, once beryllium exposure is controlled
Weakest at
Health: beryllium dust, mist and fume during machining and heat treatment. Strength also depends on temper, and Matthey lists the strip as ferromagnetic
Risk at a glance
- People Moderate. Serious inhalation hazard from beryllium
- If it fails Moderate. Loss of spring force in service at elevated temperature
- Corrosion Low. Materion says the strip has corrosion resistance surpassing stainless steel. The data sheet prints no corrosion test.
Quick facts: NiBe2
| Property | Value | Basis |
|---|---|---|
| Density | 8.27 to 8.36 g/cm³ | 2 sourced values across conditions |
| Yield strength | 280 to 1,590 MPa | 3 sourced values across conditions |
| Tensile strength | 660 to 1,860 MPa | 3 sourced values across conditions |
| Young's modulus | 195 to 210 GPa | 1 sourced value |
| Thermal conductivity | 48 W/(m·K) | 1 sourced value |
| Thermal expansion (CTE) | 14.5 ppm/K | 1 sourced value |
| Melting point | 1,195 to 1,325 °C | 1 sourced value |
| Electrical resistivity | 2.9e-7 Ω·m | 1 sourced value |
What is the density of Nickel-beryllium alloy 360 (UNS N03360) (NiBe2)?
Nickel-beryllium alloy 360 (UNS N03360) (NiBe2) has a density of 8.27 to 8.36 g/cm³. The range covers 2 sourced values across the tempers, forms and test conditions the sources report; room-temperature values are used where a source states a temperature.
What is the thermal conductivity of Nickel-beryllium alloy 360 (UNS N03360) (NiBe2)?
Nickel-beryllium alloy 360 (UNS N03360) (NiBe2) has a thermal conductivity of 48 W/(m·K). The source and test conditions are listed in the properties table on this page.
What is the coefficient of thermal expansion of Nickel-beryllium alloy 360 (UNS N03360) (NiBe2)?
Nickel-beryllium alloy 360 (UNS N03360) (NiBe2) has a coefficient of thermal expansion of 14.5 ppm/K. The source and test conditions are listed in the properties table on this page.
What is the melting point of Nickel-beryllium alloy 360 (UNS N03360) (NiBe2)?
Nickel-beryllium alloy 360 (UNS N03360) (NiBe2) has a melting point of 1,195 to 1,325 °C. The source and test conditions are listed in the properties table on this page.
What is the yield strength of Nickel-beryllium alloy 360 (UNS N03360) (NiBe2)?
Nickel-beryllium alloy 360 (UNS N03360) (NiBe2) has a yield strength of 280 to 1,590 MPa. The range covers 3 sourced values across the tempers, forms and test conditions the sources report; room-temperature values are used where a source states a temperature.
What are the other names and codes for Nickel-beryllium alloy 360 (UNS N03360) (NiBe2)?
Nickel-beryllium alloy 360 (UNS N03360) (NiBe2) is also written as UNS N03360, Alloy 360, NiBe2. Each code is printed in the source listed beside it in the designations table.
What is Nickel-beryllium alloy 360 (UNS N03360) (NiBe2) used for?
Uses recorded in the sources include Belleville washers for fire protection sprinkler heads, thermostats, bellows and diaphragms; Thermostats, bellows, casings and membranes; High-temperature connectors.
Why it exists
Nickel-beryllium Alloy 360 is used where a nickel-base spring must keep its force at temperatures that would limit copper alloys. Materion says the strip is used at up to 700 F (370 C) for short times and resists stress relaxation better than most spring materials. Matthey says copper alloys cannot be used above 200 C in the connector industry, where this alloy reaches 300 C and sometimes 350 C. Its strength comes from age hardening with about 2 wt% beryllium and 0.5 wt% titanium, so the strip can be formed soft and then hardened. The beryllium is the price, because its dust and fume are a serious health hazard during processing. Berylco Nickel Alloy 440 is an older trade name for a related nickel-beryllium-titanium alloy. No source read in this run says it is the same grade as UNS N03360, so its data are not used here. For the copper-based alternative, see the beryllium-copper profile.
Where it's used
Sprinkler heads, thermostats and bellows
Materion lists Belleville washers for fire protection sprinkler heads, thermostats, bellows and diaphragms among typical applications. Matthey lists thermostats, bellows, casings and membranes as typical uses.
Test sockets and connectors
Materion lists connectors and burn-in and test sockets among typical applications, for high-reliability electrical and electronic systems.
Recipe
Ni with 1.85 to 2.05 wt% Be and 0.4 to 0.6 wt% Ti; nickel plus additions above 99.5 wt%; impurity maxima 0.25 wt% Cu, 0.20 wt% Fe and 0.20 wt% Si
Alloy 360 is a nickel-base alloy with 1.85 to 2.05 wt% beryllium and 0.4 to 0.6 wt% titanium. It is sold annealed (A), in cold-rolled hard tempers (H) and as mill-hardened tempers that need no further heat treatment. Age hardening is generally 1.5 to 2.5 hours at 900 to 950 F (480 to 510 C), as Materion states.
| Ingredient | Share of the weight | What it does |
|---|---|---|
| Nickel Ni | not stated | The matrix and the main metal. Materion lists nickel as the balance. |
| Beryllium Be | not stated | The age-hardening element. Materion calls the strip precipitation age-hardened, which gives the high-strength tempers. |
| Titanium Ti | not stated | A minor addition printed in the composition table. |
| Copper Cu | not stated | Impurity limit printed by Matthey. |
| Iron Fe | not stated | Impurity limit printed by Matthey. |
| Silicon Si | not stated | Impurity limit printed by Matthey. |
Weight shares are as printed in the sources.
What it can do
Strength when aged
1590 MPa yield minimum
measured
In the HT temper the Materion minimum 0.2% offset yield strength is 1590 MPa, with a minimum tensile strength of 1860 MPa.
Stiffness
195 to 210 GPa
measured
The Materion data sheet gives a modulus of 195 to 210 GPa after age hardening.
Conductivity
6 %IACS minimum
measured
Materion gives a minimum of 6 %IACS after age hardening, against 4 %IACS for the cold-rolled tempers.
Fatigue
586 to 655 MPa
measured
Materion gives 586 to 655 MPa in reverse bending at 10 million cycles for strip.
How it compares
Alloy 360 is chosen for spring force at temperature rather than for electrical conduction. Its conductivity is 4 to 6 %IACS according to Materion. Matthey says copper alloys cannot be used above 200 C in connectors, while this alloy is used at 300 C and above. The beryllium-copper profile covers the copper-based alternative. The compare rows below show this alloy's values only.
The same measurements for each material, so you can compare them. Each row names the key condition under the value; the full conditions and methods are in the numbered notes under Technical details. Other materials are shown beside it; each was measured under its own conditions, so open its page before comparing closely. Compare every grade in the family.
| Measurement | NiBe2 | IN718 (UNS N07718) | IN625 (UNS N06625) | FeNi36 | Ni-Mo | C-22 | C-276 (UNS N10276) | X (UNS N06002) | UNS N07214 | H230 (UNS N06230) | UNS N08800 | Alloy 825 (UNS N08825) | Alloy 600 (UNS N06600, W.Nr. 2.4816) | Alloy 601 | Alloy 617 | X-750 (UNS N07750) | Fe-Ni-Co | Alloy 400 (UNS N04400) | K-500 | Ni | Ni3Al, NiAl | Ni-alloys | UNS N07090 (W. Nr. 2.4632) | UNS N07001 |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Thermal behavior and safety | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Melting rangeRange printed in the Materion data sheet | 1195 to 1325 °C | 1260 °C | 1290 to 1350 °C | 1427 °C | 1370 to 1418 °C | 1357 to 1399 °C | 1323 to 1371 °C | 1260 to 1355 °C | 1355 to 1400 °C | 1301 to 1371 °C | 1357 to 1385 °C | 1370 to 1400 °C | 1354 to 1413 °C | 1360 to 1411 °C | 1330 to 1380 °C | 1393 to 1427 °C | 1450 °C | 1300 to 1350 °C | 1315 to 1350 °C | 1455 °C | no data | 1425 °C | 1370 °C | 1330 to 1360 °C |
| Thermal conductivity at 25 °CValue printed in the Materion data sheet | 48 W/(m·K) | 79 BTU·in/ft²·h·°F | 9.8 W/m°C | 72.85 Btu·in/(hr·ft²·°F) | 11.2 W/m.°C | 10.1 W/(m·K) | 10.5 W/m.°C | 9.2 W/(m·K) | 12 W/m-°C | 8.9 W/(m·°C) | 11.5 W/m°C | 11.1 W/(m·K) | 14.9 W/(m·K) | 11.2 W/(m·K) | 13.4 W/(m·K) | 83 Btu/in./hr/sq ft/°F | 17.5 W/m °K | 22 W/m°C | 17.5 W/m °C | 70.3 W/(m·K) | no data | 13 W/(m·K) | 11.47 W/(m·K) | 19.1 W/(m·°C) |
| Physical and electrical | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Density, after age hardening (Materion) | 8.27 g/cm³1 | 0.297 lb/in3 | 8.44 g/cm³ | 8.05 g/cm³ | 9.22 g/cm³ | 8.69 g/cm³ | 8.89 g/cm³ | 8.22 g/cm³ | 8.05 g/cm³ | 8.97 g/cm³ | 7.94 g/cm³ | 8.14 g/cm³ | 0.306 lb/in3 | 8.11 Mg/m3 | 8.36 g/cm³ | 8.28 g/cm³ | 8.36 g/cm³ | 8.8 g/cm³ | 8.45 g/cm³ | 8.89 g/cm³ | 7.5 g/cm³ | 8.2 g/cm³ | 8.18 g/cm³ | 8.19 g/cm³ |
| Density, after hardening (Matthey) | 8.36 g/cm³2 | 0.297 lb/in3 | 8.44 g/cm³ | 8.05 g/cm³ | 9.22 g/cm³ | 8.69 g/cm³ | 8.89 g/cm³ | 8.22 g/cm³ | 8.05 g/cm³ | 8.97 g/cm³ | 7.94 g/cm³ | 8.14 g/cm³ | 0.306 lb/in3 | 8.11 Mg/m3 | 8.36 g/cm³ | 8.28 g/cm³ | 8.36 g/cm³ | 8.8 g/cm³ | 8.45 g/cm³ | 8.89 g/cm³ | 7.5 g/cm³ | 8.2 g/cm³ | 8.18 g/cm³ | 8.19 g/cm³ |
| Electrical resistivity, age hardened (maximum)Maximum printed in the Materion data sheet | < 28.7 µΩ·cm | 725 ohm circ mil/ft | 129 µΩ-cm | 84 µΩ·cm | 1.37 μohm.m | 1.14 µΩ·m | 1.23 μohm.m | 114.8 µohm-cm | 135.9 µohm-cm | 125 µohm-m | 0.989 µΩ·m | 112 µΩ·cm | 1.03 µΩ·m | 1.18 µΩ·m | 1.22×10^-4 Ω·cm | 731 ohm circ mil/ft | 49 μΩcm | 0.511 µΩ·m | 0.615 µΩ·m | 0.096 µΩ·m | no data | 45 µΩ·cm | 1.18 µΩ·m | 1.24 µΩ·m |
| Electrical conductivity, age hardened (minimum)Minimum printed in the Materion data sheet | > 6 %IACS | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | 34 % IACS | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data |
| Electrical conductivity, cold rolled (minimum)Minimum printed in the Materion data sheet | > 4 %IACS | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | 34 % IACS | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data |
| Other measurements | ||||||||||||||||||||||||
| Elastic modulus, after age hardeningRange printed in the Materion data sheet | 195 to 210 GPa | 29 ksi x 10^3 | 207.5 GPa | 140 GPa | 216 GPa | 206 GPa | 205 GPa | 205 GPa | 218 GPa | 209 GPa | 196.5 GPa | 196 GPa | 214 GPa | 206.5 GPa | 211 GPa | 31 10^3 ksi | 138 kN/mm2 | 26 10^3 ksi | 179 GPa | 205 GPa | 200 GPa | no data | 204 GPa | 211 GPa |
| Coefficient of thermal expansion, 20 to 200 °C | 14.5 ppm/K3 | 8.91 ppm/°F | 12.8 ppm/°C | 1.3 ppm/K | 10.6 μm/m.°C | 12.4 ppm/K | 11.2 μm/m.°C | 13.9 µm/(m·K) | 14.6 µm/m-°C | 11.8 ppm/K | 14.4 µm/m/°C | 13.9 ppm/K | 10.4 ppm/K | 13.75 µm/m/°C | 11.6 µm/(m·K) | 7 10-6 in./in./°F | 5.86 10-6/°C | 14.2 µm/m°C | 13.7 10-6/°C | 13.3 ppm/K | no data | 8 ppm/K | 12.7 µm/(m·K) | 14.3 µm/m·°C |
| Poisson ratio | 0.3 -4 | 0.294 - | 0.278 - | no data | no data | no data | 0.31 - | 0.32 - | no data | 0.31 - | 0.339 - | no data | 0.324 - | 0.272 - | no data | 0.29 - | no data | 0.32 - | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data |
| Yield strength 0.2% offset, annealed temper A | 280 to 480 MPa5 | 171 ksi | 60 to 95 ksi | 40 ksi | 421 MPa | > 310 MPa | 356 MPa | 340 MPa | 577 MPa | 417 MPa | 250 MPa | 338 MPa | 170 to 345 MPa | 292 MPa | 340 MPa | > 105 ksi | > 200 N/mm2 | 25 to 50 ksi | 276 to 414 MPa | 105 to 210 MPa | no data | 280 MPa | 752 MPa | 586 MPa |
| Yield strength 0.2% offset, age-hardened temper AT (minimum) | > 1030 MPa6 | 171 ksi | 60 to 95 ksi | 40 ksi | 421 MPa | > 310 MPa | 356 MPa | 340 MPa | 577 MPa | 417 MPa | 250 MPa | 338 MPa | 170 to 345 MPa | 292 MPa | 340 MPa | > 105 ksi | > 200 N/mm2 | 25 to 50 ksi | 276 to 414 MPa | 105 to 210 MPa | no data | 280 MPa | 752 MPa | 586 MPa |
| Yield strength 0.2% offset, age-hardened temper HT (minimum) | > 1590 MPa7 | 171 ksi | 60 to 95 ksi | 40 ksi | 421 MPa | > 310 MPa | 356 MPa | 340 MPa | 577 MPa | 417 MPa | 250 MPa | 338 MPa | 170 to 345 MPa | 292 MPa | 340 MPa | > 105 ksi | > 200 N/mm2 | 25 to 50 ksi | 276 to 414 MPa | 105 to 210 MPa | no data | 280 MPa | 752 MPa | 586 MPa |
| Tensile strength, annealed temper A | 660 to 900 MPa8 | 201 ksi | 120 to 150 ksi | 65 ksi | 862 MPa | 690 to 950 MPa | 792 MPa | 760 MPa | 975 MPa | 837 MPa | 590 MPa | 662 MPa | 550 to 690 MPa | 675 MPa | 710 MPa | > 165 ksi | 450 to 585 N/mm2 | 75 to 90 ksi | 621 to 758 MPa | 380 to 520 MPa | 2300 MPa | 500 MPa | 1175 MPa | 1027 MPa |
| Tensile strength, age-hardened temper AT (minimum) | > 1480 MPa9 | 201 ksi | 120 to 150 ksi | 65 ksi | 862 MPa | 690 to 950 MPa | 792 MPa | 760 MPa | 975 MPa | 837 MPa | 590 MPa | 662 MPa | 550 to 690 MPa | 675 MPa | 710 MPa | > 165 ksi | 450 to 585 N/mm2 | 75 to 90 ksi | 621 to 758 MPa | 380 to 520 MPa | 2300 MPa | 500 MPa | 1175 MPa | 1027 MPa |
| Tensile strength, age-hardened temper HT (minimum) | > 1860 MPa10 | 201 ksi | 120 to 150 ksi | 65 ksi | 862 MPa | 690 to 950 MPa | 792 MPa | 760 MPa | 975 MPa | 837 MPa | 590 MPa | 662 MPa | 550 to 690 MPa | 675 MPa | 710 MPa | > 165 ksi | 450 to 585 N/mm2 | 75 to 90 ksi | 621 to 758 MPa | 380 to 520 MPa | 2300 MPa | 500 MPa | 1175 MPa | 1027 MPa |
| Elongation, annealed temper A (minimum) | > 30 %11 | 26 % | 30 to 60 % | 35 % | 53 % | > 45 % | 61 % | 48.9 % | 37.3 % | 47.3 % | 17 % | 45 % | 35 to 55 % | 46 % | 62 % | > 20 % | > 25 % | 35 to 60 % | 20 to 35 % | 40 to 55 % | no data | 35 % | 30 % | 43 % |
| Elongation, age-hardened temper HT (minimum) | > 8 %12 | 26 % | 30 to 60 % | 35 % | 53 % | > 45 % | 61 % | 48.9 % | 37.3 % | 47.3 % | 17 % | 45 % | 35 to 55 % | 46 % | 62 % | > 20 % | > 25 % | 35 to 60 % | 20 to 35 % | 40 to 55 % | no data | 35 % | 30 % | 43 % |
| Fatigue strength, reverse bending at 10 million cycles | 586 to 655 MPa13 | no data | 90000 psi | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | 214 MPa | no data | 268.9 MPa | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data | no data |
Why choose it, and why not
Good for
- Springs, bellows and diaphragms that must keep their force at 200 C and above
- Test sockets and connectors that run hot
- Sprinkler-head Belleville washers, as Materion lists them
Watch out for
- Beryllium dust, mist and fume: inhalation can cause serious lung disease, and the alloy's own SDS was not read
- Matthey lists the strip as ferromagnetic, so do not assume the non-magnetic behaviour of beryllium copper
- Annealed strip is soft, and the aged tempers need the printed heat treatment
- No corrosion test data and no space-environment data were found for this alloy
Alloy 360 is a strong, heat-resistant nickel spring strip whose main risk is beryllium exposure during processing. Its aged tempers reach 1590 MPa minimum yield and it keeps its spring force at 200 C, but this profile has no corrosion test or space data.
Technical details
For scientists and researchers. Everything above comes from the record below: every number with its method, its conditions and its source.
Other names and standards
The same grade under other systems, as datasheets and standards print them. Each code was checked against the page it comes from.
| System | Codes |
|---|---|
| UNS | N03360 |
| Trade name | Alloy 360, NiBe2 |
Notes
The method, full conditions and any caveat for the numbered rows above.
| # | Measurement | Method | Conditions | Caveat |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | Density, after age hardening (Materion) | Value printed in the Materion data sheet under Typical Physical Properties (After Age Hardening) | temper after age hardeningunit in source 0.299 lb/in3 | — |
| 2 | Density, after hardening (Matthey) | Value printed in the Matthey data sheet, which footnotes its two density values as before and after hardening | basis value after hardening; the same sheet gives 8.25 g/cm3 before hardeningunit in source 8.25, 8.36 g/cm3 | — |
| 3 | Coefficient of thermal expansion, 20 to 200 °C | Value printed in the Materion data sheet, metric line | temperature range 20 to 200 °Cunit in source 14.5 x 10-6 mm/mm·°C | — |
| 4 | Poisson ratio | Value printed in the Matthey data sheet, physical properties table | basis single value printed in the Matthey sheet; no temper stated | — |
| 5 | Yield strength 0.2% offset, annealed temper A | Range printed in the Materion data sheet, typical mechanical properties table | temper A, soft annealedthickness varies by thickness, as the data sheet notesunit in source 40 - 70 ksi | — |
| 6 | Yield strength 0.2% offset, age-hardened temper AT (minimum) | Minimum printed in the Materion data sheet, typical mechanical properties table | temper AT, age hardened from annealed Aunit in source 150 min ksi | — |
| 7 | Yield strength 0.2% offset, age-hardened temper HT (minimum) | Minimum printed in the Materion data sheet, typical mechanical properties table | temper HT, age hardened from hard Hunit in source 230 min ksi | — |
| 8 | Tensile strength, annealed temper A | Range printed in the Materion data sheet, typical mechanical properties table | temper A, soft annealedthickness varies by thickness, as the data sheet notesunit in source 95 - 130 ksi | — |
| 9 | Tensile strength, age-hardened temper AT (minimum) | Minimum printed in the Materion data sheet, typical mechanical properties table | temper AT, age hardened from annealed Aunit in source 215 min ksi | — |
| 10 | Tensile strength, age-hardened temper HT (minimum) | Minimum printed in the Materion data sheet, typical mechanical properties table | temper HT, age hardened from hard Hunit in source 270 min ksi | — |
| 11 | Elongation, annealed temper A (minimum) | Minimum printed in the Materion data sheet, typical mechanical properties table | temper A, soft annealednote valid for strip 0.10 mm and thicker, as the data sheet footnote says | — |
| 12 | Elongation, age-hardened temper HT (minimum) | Minimum printed in the Materion data sheet, typical mechanical properties table | temper HT, age hardened from hard Hnote valid for strip 0.10 mm and thicker | — |
| 13 | Fatigue strength, reverse bending at 10 million cycles | Range printed in the Materion data sheet, overview paragraph | form striploading reverse bending, 10 million cyclesunit in source 85,000-90,000 psi | — |
Corrosion and compatibility
What happens when it meets other materials and environments.
| Environment | Concern | What happens |
|---|---|---|
| General service and elevated temperature | low | Materion says the strip has corrosion resistance surpassing stainless steel. The data sheet prints no corrosion test.1 |
| # | Environment | Details | Test conditions |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1 | General service and elevated temperature | No corrosion rate, test medium or exposure time is printed in the data sheet. Materion says the alloy's surface chemistry is similar to other commercial nickel-base alloys, so their plating and joining methods can be used. | basis qualitative manufacturer statement; no test data read |
Risks and side effects
Hazards to people, what happens when a cell overheats, and how the material is handled and stored.
For people
The alloy is a solid nickel alloy, but machining, grinding or heat treating it can release beryllium dust or fume, and that is the serious hazard.
- Lungs
- Materion says inhalation of airborne beryllium can cause serious lung diseases in some individuals, and that processing beryllium-containing alloys poses a health risk without safe practice.
- Limits
- US law sets an 8-hour average limit of 0.2 micrograms per cubic metre and a 15-minute limit of 2.0 micrograms per cubic metre, with an action level of 0.1 micrograms per cubic metre.
If it fails
These failure routes come from the data sheet. No corrosion test is printed.
- Relaxation
- Materion's test shows 2% spring-force loss at 50% of yield stress and 5% at 100%, after 10,000 hours at 400 F (200 C). Longer or hotter service is outside the printed data.
- Soft stock
- Annealed strip yields at 280 to 480 MPa. The aged AT and HT tempers have minimum yields of 1030 and 1590 MPa.
Handling and storage
- Follow the sheet
- Read the safety data sheet and Materion's beryllium safety guidance before working with the material.
- Plating
- Pickle copper-plated strip before age hardening, which minimizes oxide formation during hardening.
Test details
The original wording and numbers from the sources, for readers who want them.
Failure risks
| Failure | Trigger and consequence |
|---|---|
| Loss of spring force in service at elevated temperaturemoderate severity | Constant stress at or near 400 F (200 C) over long periodsMaterion's test shows a loss of spring force of only 2% at 50% of yield stress and 5% at 100% of yield stress after more than 10,000 hours at 400 F (200 C). The data sheet gives no result for longer times or higher temperatures. |
| Soft stock used where aged strength is neededmoderate severity | Using annealed A temper strip where an aged part is neededAnnealed strip yields at 280 to 480 MPa, against a minimum of 1030 MPa for AT and 1590 MPa for HT. |
| Dimensional change during age hardeninglow severity | Age hardening a finished partAge hardening raises density by about 0.5%, with a corresponding decrease in length (shrinkage). Parts must be sized for the shrinkage or machined after hardening. |
Side effects on surrounding parts
| Affects | Effect |
|---|---|
| Surface finish and oxide layer after age hardening | Copper-plated strip must be pickled to remove the copper before age hardening. Materion says removing the plating minimizes oxide formation during age hardening. |
Handling and storage
- Read and follow the safety data sheet and Materion's beryllium safety guidance before machining, grinding or heat treating the alloy.
- Before heat treatment, pickle copper-plated strip for 2 to 5 minutes in 20 volume percent sulfuric acid plus 2 volume percent hydrogen peroxide at 125 F (50 C), then rinse. After age hardening, a one-hour soak in 50 volume percent sulfuric acid at 160 F (70 C) restores the surface and removes less than 0.0001 inch per side.
- Age hardening is generally 1.5 to 2.5 hours at 900 F to 950 F (480 C to 510 C), per Materion. Materion says to consult its sales engineer or use test specimens to establish other schedules.
Mitigations
- Materion says that to establish exact age-hardening parameters for other property targets, the user should consult its sales engineer or use test specimens, because the printed properties apply to the stated ageing condition.
Supply and geography
How common the raw materials are and where they come from.
Nickel (mine production)
- Top producers (2025)
- Indonesia 66.7%, Philippines 6.9%, Russia 5.1%, New Caledonia 3.6%
- Critical mineral lists
- US: listed
- Recycling
- USGS: nickel recovered from scrap accounted for approximately 60% of apparent US consumption in 2025.
- Substitutes
- USGS: titanium alloys can substitute for nickel or nickel-base alloys in corrosive environments.
Beryllium (mine production)
- Top producers (2025)
- United States 53.5%, Brazil 18.6%, China 17.9%, Nigeria 9.3%
- Critical mineral lists
- US: listed
- Recycling
- USGS: recovered beryllium from new and old scrap may account for as much as 20% to 25% of total beryllium consumption.
- Substitutes
- USGS: bronze alloys (copper-tin-phosphorus) may be substituted for beryllium-copper alloys, with substantially reduced performance. The USGS chapter names no substitute for nickel-beryllium strip.
Documents
Datasheets, safety data sheets, papers and standards you can open.
| Document | Type | Year |
|---|---|---|
| Materion Alloy 360 Nickel-Beryllium Strip data sheet (PDF) | datasheet | |
| Lamineries Matthey, NiBe Alloy 360 data sheet (v25E) | datasheet | 2022 |
| Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Nickel | report | 2026 |
| Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Beryllium | report | 2026 |
| 29 CFR 1910.1024 Beryllium, Cornell Legal Information Institute | standard |
Full record
The complete spore, as stored. Free to reuse under CC-BY-4.0. Images keep the licence shown with each one.
Show the full YAML
spore: profile
id: nickel-beryllium
spore_version: 0.2
family: nickel-alloys
name: Nickel-beryllium alloy 360 (UNS N03360)
abbreviation: NiBe2
role: high-temperature spring alloy, age-hardened strip
category: metals
type: nickel-superalloys
summary: |
Alloy 360 (UNS N03360, also called NiBe2) is a nickel alloy with 1.85 to 2.05 wt% beryllium and 0.4 to 0.6 wt% titanium, sold as strip in soft and hard tempers and age-hardened to high strength. Materion gives a minimum tensile strength of 1860 MPa and a minimum 0.2% yield strength of 1590 MPa for the HT temper, a modulus of 195 to 210 GPa and a density of 8.27 g/cm3. Materion's stress-relaxation test shows a loss of spring force of only 2% after more than 10,000 hours at 400 F (200 C). Like beryllium copper, the beryllium content makes dust and fume a serious health hazard during processing.
best_for: Thin spring parts that must keep their force at 200 C or higher, such as sprinkler-head Belleville washers, thermostats, bellows and test sockets, once beryllium exposure is controlled
weakest_at: 'Health: beryllium dust, mist and fume during machining and heat treatment. Strength also depends on temper, and Matthey lists the strip as ferromagnetic'
identity:
formula: Ni with 1.85 to 2.05 wt% Be and 0.4 to 0.6 wt% Ti; nickel plus additions above 99.5 wt%; impurity maxima 0.25 wt% Cu, 0.20 wt% Fe and 0.20 wt% Si
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Chemical Composition table, row N03360 (Beryllium 1.85 - 2.05, Titanium 0.4 - 0.6, Nickel Balance). The Cu, Fe and Si maxima are from the Matthey data sheet, Chemical composition table (source matthey-360).
designations:
- system: UNS
code: N03360
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Chemical Composition table, UNS Number column
- system: Trade name
code: Alloy 360
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: 'Title line: Alloy 360 Nickel-Beryllium Strip'
- system: Trade name
code: NiBe2
source: matthey-360
where: Designation row, Alloy 360 column
tags:
environments: []
applications:
- mechanisms
- electronics-and-chips
properties:
- benchmark: density
label: Density, after age hardening (Materion)
value: 8.27
unit: g/cm3
scope: material
conditions:
temper: after age hardening
unit_in_source: 0.299 lb/in3
method: Value printed in the Materion data sheet under Typical Physical Properties (After Age Hardening)
status: ground
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Typical Physical Properties table, Density column
- benchmark: density
label: Density, after hardening (Matthey)
value: 8.36
unit: g/cm3
scope: material
conditions:
basis: value after hardening; the same sheet gives 8.25 g/cm3 before hardening
unit_in_source: 8.25, 8.36 g/cm3
method: Value printed in the Matthey data sheet, which footnotes its two density values as before and after hardening
status: ground
source: matthey-360
where: Physical properties table, Density row, second value (footnote 1)
- benchmark: melting_point
label: Melting range
value: 1195
value_high: 1325
bound: range
unit: °C
scope: material
conditions:
property_type: melting range
unit_in_source: 2185 - 2420 °F
method: Range printed in the Materion data sheet
status: ground
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Typical Physical Properties table, Melting Range column
- benchmark: elastic_modulus
label: Elastic modulus, after age hardening
value: 195
value_high: 210
bound: range
unit: GPa
scope: material
conditions:
temper: after age hardening
unit_in_source: 28 - 30 x 106 psi
method: Range printed in the Materion data sheet
status: ground
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Typical Physical Properties table, Elastic Modulus, metric line
- benchmark: thermal_conductivity
label: Thermal conductivity at 25 °C
value: 48
unit: W/(m·K)
scope: material
conditions:
temperature: 25 °C
unit_in_source: 48 W/m·oC (28 btu/hr·ft·°F)
method: Value printed in the Materion data sheet
status: ground
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Typical Physical Properties table, Thermal Conductivity (25 °C) column, metric line
- benchmark: cte
label: Coefficient of thermal expansion, 20 to 200 °C
value: 14.5
unit: ppm/K
scope: material
conditions:
temperature_range: 20 to 200 °C
unit_in_source: 14.5 x 10-6 mm/mm·°C
method: Value printed in the Materion data sheet, metric line
status: ground
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Typical Physical Properties table, Thermal Expansion Coefficient (20 - 200 °C) column, metric line
- benchmark: poissons_ratio
label: Poisson ratio
value: 0.3
unit: '-'
scope: material
conditions:
basis: single value printed in the Matthey sheet; no temper stated
method: Value printed in the Matthey data sheet, physical properties table
status: ground
source: matthey-360
where: Physical properties table, Poisson ratio row
- benchmark: electrical_resistivity
label: Electrical resistivity, age hardened (maximum)
value: 28.7
bound: upper
unit: µΩ·cm
scope: material
conditions:
temper: age hardened (AT, 1/4 HT, 1/2 HT, HT)
unit_in_source: 28.7 micro-ohm cm
method: Maximum printed in the Materion data sheet
status: ground
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Typical Electrical Properties table, Maximum Resistivity, age hardened row
- benchmark: electrical_conductivity
label: Electrical conductivity, age hardened (minimum)
value: 6
bound: lower
unit: '%IACS'
scope: material
conditions:
temper: age hardened (AT, 1/4 HT, 1/2 HT, HT)
unit_in_source: 6 % IACS
method: Minimum printed in the Materion data sheet
status: ground
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Typical Electrical Properties table, Minimum Electrical Conductivity, age hardened row
- benchmark: electrical_conductivity
label: Electrical conductivity, cold rolled (minimum)
value: 4
bound: lower
unit: '%IACS'
scope: material
conditions:
temper: cold rolled (A, 1/4 H, 1/2 H, H)
unit_in_source: 4 % IACS
method: Minimum printed in the Materion data sheet
status: ground
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Typical Electrical Properties table, Minimum Electrical Conductivity, cold rolled row
- benchmark: yield_strength
label: Yield strength 0.2% offset, annealed temper A
value: 280
value_high: 480
bound: range
unit: MPa
scope: material
conditions:
temper: A, soft annealed
thickness: varies by thickness, as the data sheet notes
unit_in_source: 40 - 70 ksi
method: Range printed in the Materion data sheet, typical mechanical properties table
status: ground
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Typical Mechanical Properties table, row A, Yield Strength MPa column
- benchmark: yield_strength
label: Yield strength 0.2% offset, age-hardened temper AT (minimum)
value: 1030
bound: lower
unit: MPa
scope: material
conditions:
temper: AT, age hardened from annealed A
unit_in_source: 150 min ksi
method: Minimum printed in the Materion data sheet, typical mechanical properties table
status: ground
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Typical Mechanical Properties table, row AT, Yield Strength MPa column
- benchmark: yield_strength
label: Yield strength 0.2% offset, age-hardened temper HT (minimum)
value: 1590
bound: lower
unit: MPa
scope: material
conditions:
temper: HT, age hardened from hard H
unit_in_source: 230 min ksi
method: Minimum printed in the Materion data sheet, typical mechanical properties table
status: ground
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Typical Mechanical Properties table, row HT, Yield Strength MPa column
- benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
label: Tensile strength, annealed temper A
value: 660
value_high: 900
bound: range
unit: MPa
scope: material
conditions:
temper: A, soft annealed
thickness: varies by thickness, as the data sheet notes
unit_in_source: 95 - 130 ksi
method: Range printed in the Materion data sheet, typical mechanical properties table
status: ground
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Typical Mechanical Properties table, row A, Tensile Strength MPa column
- benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
label: Tensile strength, age-hardened temper AT (minimum)
value: 1480
bound: lower
unit: MPa
scope: material
conditions:
temper: AT, age hardened from annealed A
unit_in_source: 215 min ksi
method: Minimum printed in the Materion data sheet, typical mechanical properties table
status: ground
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Typical Mechanical Properties table, row AT, Tensile Strength MPa column
- benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
label: Tensile strength, age-hardened temper HT (minimum)
value: 1860
bound: lower
unit: MPa
scope: material
conditions:
temper: HT, age hardened from hard H
unit_in_source: 270 min ksi
method: Minimum printed in the Materion data sheet, typical mechanical properties table
status: ground
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Typical Mechanical Properties table, row HT, Tensile Strength MPa column
- benchmark: elongation
label: Elongation, annealed temper A (minimum)
value: 30
bound: lower
unit: '%'
scope: material
conditions:
temper: A, soft annealed
note: valid for strip 0.10 mm and thicker, as the data sheet footnote says
method: Minimum printed in the Materion data sheet, typical mechanical properties table
status: ground
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Typical Mechanical Properties table, row A, Elongation column; footnote on strip thickness
- benchmark: elongation
label: Elongation, age-hardened temper HT (minimum)
value: 8
bound: lower
unit: '%'
scope: material
conditions:
temper: HT, age hardened from hard H
note: valid for strip 0.10 mm and thicker
method: Minimum printed in the Materion data sheet, typical mechanical properties table
status: ground
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Typical Mechanical Properties table, row HT, Elongation column; footnote on strip thickness
- benchmark: fatigue_strength
label: Fatigue strength, reverse bending at 10 million cycles
value: 586
value_high: 655
bound: range
unit: MPa
scope: material
conditions:
form: strip
loading: reverse bending, 10 million cycles
unit_in_source: 85,000-90,000 psi
method: Range printed in the Materion data sheet, overview paragraph
status: ground
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Overview paragraph, first page, fatigue strength sentence
corrosion:
- environment: General service and elevated temperature
headline: Materion says the strip has corrosion resistance surpassing stainless steel. The data sheet prints no corrosion test.
effect: No corrosion rate, test medium or exposure time is printed in the data sheet. Materion says the alloy's surface chemistry is similar to other commercial nickel-base alloys, so their plating and joining methods can be used.
rating: low
conditions:
basis: qualitative manufacturer statement; no test data read
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Overview paragraph, first page; Plating section
risks:
hazards:
- text: Processing beryllium-containing alloys poses a health risk if safe practices are not followed. Inhalation of airborne beryllium can cause serious lung diseases in some individuals (Materion).
ghs: []
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Health and Safety section
- text: 'US limits for airborne beryllium: 0.2 micrograms per cubic metre as an 8-hour time-weighted average, 2.0 micrograms per cubic metre as a 15-minute short-term limit, and an action level of 0.1 micrograms per cubic metre.'
ghs: []
source: cornell-1910-1024
where: 29 CFR 1910.1024 paragraph (c)(1), paragraph (c)(2) and paragraph (b), action level
- text: The alloy's own safety data sheet was not read in this run, so no GHS hazard statements are entered for this alloy. Materion refers readers to the SDS.
ghs: []
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Health and Safety section
failure_risks:
- mode: Loss of spring force in service at elevated temperature
trigger: Constant stress at or near 400 F (200 C) over long periods
consequence: Materion's test shows a loss of spring force of only 2% at 50% of yield stress and 5% at 100% of yield stress after more than 10,000 hours at 400 F (200 C). The data sheet gives no result for longer times or higher temperatures.
severity: moderate
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Stress Relaxation section
- mode: Soft stock used where aged strength is needed
trigger: Using annealed A temper strip where an aged part is needed
consequence: Annealed strip yields at 280 to 480 MPa, against a minimum of 1030 MPa for AT and 1590 MPa for HT.
severity: moderate
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Typical Mechanical Properties table, rows A, AT and HT
- mode: Dimensional change during age hardening
trigger: Age hardening a finished part
consequence: Age hardening raises density by about 0.5%, with a corresponding decrease in length (shrinkage). Parts must be sized for the shrinkage or machined after hardening.
severity: low
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Age Hardening section
side_effects:
- text: Copper-plated strip must be pickled to remove the copper before age hardening. Materion says removing the plating minimizes oxide formation during age hardening.
affects: Surface finish and oxide layer after age hardening
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Pickling, Removing Copper Plating section
handling:
- text: Read and follow the safety data sheet and Materion's beryllium safety guidance before machining, grinding or heat treating the alloy.
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Health and Safety section
- text: Before heat treatment, pickle copper-plated strip for 2 to 5 minutes in 20 volume percent sulfuric acid plus 2 volume percent hydrogen peroxide at 125 F (50 C), then rinse. After age hardening, a one-hour soak in 50 volume percent sulfuric acid at 160 F (70 C) restores the surface and removes less than 0.0001 inch per side.
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Pickling and Pickling After Heat Treatment sections
- text: Age hardening is generally 1.5 to 2.5 hours at 900 F to 950 F (480 C to 510 C), per Materion. Materion says to consult its sales engineer or use test specimens to establish other schedules.
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Age Hardening section, first paragraph
mitigations:
- text: Materion says that to establish exact age-hardening parameters for other property targets, the user should consult its sales engineer or use test specimens, because the printed properties apply to the stated ageing condition.
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Age Hardening section, text after the ageing graph
uses:
- application: mechanisms
device: Belleville washers for fire protection sprinkler heads, thermostats, bellows and diaphragms
example: Materion lists Belleville washers for fire protection sprinkler heads, thermostats, bellows, diaphragms, connectors and burn-in and test sockets as applications for this strip. It says the alloy is used at up to 700 F (370 C) for short times.
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Overview paragraph, last sentence
- application: mechanisms
device: Thermostats, bellows, casings and membranes
example: Matthey lists thermostats, bellows, casings, diaphragms and membranes as typical uses, and says the alloy keeps good spring properties at elevated temperatures.
source: matthey-360
where: Typical uses paragraph
- application: electronics-and-chips
device: High-temperature connectors
example: Matthey says connectors using this alloy can reach 300 C and sometimes 350 C, where copper alloys cannot be used above 200 C.
source: matthey-360
where: Main technical properties paragraph
- application: electronics-and-chips
device: Burn-in and test sockets and high-temperature connectors
example: Materion lists connectors and burn-in and test sockets among typical applications for Alloy 360 strip, which it describes for high-reliability electrical and electronic systems.
source: materion-360-datasheet
where: Overview paragraph, first sentence and last sentence
supply:
- subject: Nickel (mine production)
producers:
- country: Indonesia
share_percent: 66.7
year: 2025
- country: Philippines
share_percent: 6.9
year: 2025
- country: Russia
share_percent: 5.1
year: 2025
- country: New Caledonia
share_percent: 3.6
year: 2025
critical_lists:
- list: USGS 2025 List of Critical Minerals
listed: true
recycling: 'USGS: nickel recovered from scrap accounted for approximately 60% of apparent US consumption in 2025.'
substitutes:
- 'USGS: titanium alloys can substitute for nickel or nickel-base alloys in corrosive environments.'
source: usgs-mcs2026-nickel
where: 'World Mine Production and Reserves table, 2025e, world total 3,900,000 t (rounded); shares calculated by Space Mushroom from the country values 2,600,000, 270,000, 200,000 and 140,000 t. Recycling and Substitutes sections. Critical list: usgs-crit2025.'
- subject: Beryllium (mine production)
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 List of Critical Minerals
listed: true
recycling: 'USGS: recovered beryllium from new and old scrap may account for as much as 20% to 25% of total beryllium consumption.'
substitutes:
- 'USGS: bronze alloys (copper-tin-phosphorus) may be substituted for beryllium-copper alloys, with substantially reduced performance. The USGS chapter names no substitute for nickel-beryllium strip.'
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 and Substitutes sections. Critical list: usgs-crit2025.'
documents:
- title: Materion Alloy 360 Nickel-Beryllium Strip data sheet (PDF)
type: datasheet
url: https://hkvxni.files.cmp.optimizely.com/download/f1c2913af37d11ee8f5c62183442181f
- title: Lamineries Matthey, NiBe Alloy 360 data sheet (v25E)
type: datasheet
url: https://www.matthey.ch/fileadmin/user_upload/downloads/fichetechnique/EN/NiBe-Alloy360_v25E.pdf
year: 2022
- title: 'Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Nickel'
type: report
url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-nickel.pdf
year: 2026
- title: 'Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Beryllium'
type: report
url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-beryllium.pdf
year: 2026
- title: 29 CFR 1910.1024 Beryllium, Cornell Legal Information Institute
type: standard
url: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/29/1910.1024
gaps:
- Berylco Nickel Alloy 440 is not listed as a designation and no values from it are entered. The ASM Alloy Digest (1975, paywalled) names it an age-hardenable nickel-beryllium-titanium alloy, but no source read in this run prints its composition or says it is the same grade as UNS N03360. A search snippet giving about 1.95 Be and 0.5 Ti for Berylco 440 was not verified and is not used.
- 'The density values disagree: Materion gives 8.27 g/cm3 after age hardening, and Matthey gives 8.25 before and 8.36 after hardening. Both are entered with their sources and not reconciled.'
- Fatigue data differ by source and condition. Materion gives 586 to 655 MPa at 10 million cycles in reverse bending for strip. Matthey's text says more than 700 N/mm2 at 10 to the power 6 cycles with R = -1, which is not entered because its conditions differ.
- Materion's typical mechanical values are not minimum specification values, except where the table itself prints a min. figure.
- Hardness (HV) values are printed in the Materion table but not entered, because the property canon has no hardness name.
- electrical_conductivity is a snake_case name that is not in the canonical property list, so the canonical unit conversion may not apply. Electrical resistivity uses the canonical name.
- The EU critical raw materials list was not checked for nickel or beryllium in this run, so critical_lists shows only the USGS 2025 list.
- No nickel crustal abundance was read, so the supply entry has no abundance figure.
- No nickel-specific or alloy-specific hazard source was read, and the PubChem and Wikipedia GHS records were not used. Hazard entries rest on Materion's health statement and the OSHA beryllium regulation.
- 'Corrosion has no test data: the only statement is Materion''s qualitative claim that corrosion resistance surpasses stainless steel.'
- Materion's product web page was opened but its text could not be read in this run, so no figure from it is used. The data sheet's stress-relaxation test is the source used.
- Space-environment data (outgassing, radiation, thermal-vacuum, atomic oxygen) were not found for this alloy.
- 'Magnetic behaviour: Matthey lists the strip as ferromagnetic. Materion does not state it, so no magnetic property row is entered.'
sources:
materion-360-datasheet:
title: Alloy 360 Nickel-Beryllium Strip, Materion data sheet (High Strength at Elevated Temperature)
id: Materion Alloy 360 (UNS N03360) strip data sheet
url: https://hkvxni.files.cmp.optimizely.com/download/f1c2913af37d11ee8f5c62183442181f
kind: datasheet
license: Manufacturer datasheet (cited, not reproduced)
matthey-360:
title: NiBe Alloy 360 data sheet, Lamineries Matthey (branch of Notz Metall AG)
id: Alloy 360, NiBe2, v25E, 2022
url: https://www.matthey.ch/fileadmin/user_upload/downloads/fichetechnique/EN/NiBe-Alloy360_v25E.pdf
year: 2022
kind: datasheet
license: Supplier data sheet (cited, not reproduced)
usgs-mcs2026-nickel:
title: Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Nickel
id: USGS MCS 2026, February 2026
url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-nickel.pdf
year: 2026
kind: report
license: public domain (USGS)
usgs-mcs2026-beryllium:
title: Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Beryllium
id: USGS MCS 2026, February 2026
url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-beryllium.pdf
year: 2026
kind: report
license: public domain (USGS)
usgs-crit2025:
title: About the 2025 List of Critical Minerals (USGS, final list of 60 minerals)
id: Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals, November 2025
url: https://www.usgs.gov/programs/mineral-resources-program/science/about-2025-list-critical-minerals
year: 2025
kind: web
license: public domain (USGS)
cornell-1910-1024:
title: 29 CFR 1910.1024 Beryllium, Cornell Legal Information Institute
url: https://www.law.cornell.edu/cfr/text/29/1910.1024
kind: standard
license: US federal regulation (public domain)
license: CC-BY-4.0
updated: '2026-10-26'
review:
status: draft
method: assistant
checked_values: 19
unreachable: 2
caveats: 4
note: 'Read by an AI assistant on 2026-10-26 from the Materion Alloy 360 data sheet and the Matthey Alloy 360 data sheet, with the USGS 2026 nickel and beryllium summaries and the OSHA beryllium standard. Unreachable: the Suppliers Online Alloy 360 page (HTTP 503) and the MakeItFrom page (HTTP 403). The ASM Alloy Digest for Berylco 440 is paywalled and is not used for values. Caveats: the Berylco 440 to N03360 link is not confirmed; the two density sources disagree; the Materion mechanical values are typical rather than minimum specification values, except the printed minima; no corrosion or space-environment test data were found.'
story:
risk_groups:
- title: For people
lead: The alloy is a solid nickel alloy, but machining, grinding or heat treating it can release beryllium dust or fume, and that is the serious hazard.
level: 2
verdict: Serious inhalation hazard from beryllium
points:
- label: Lungs
line: Materion says inhalation of airborne beryllium can cause serious lung diseases in some individuals, and that processing beryllium-containing alloys poses a health risk without safe practice.
- label: Limits
line: US law sets an 8-hour average limit of 0.2 micrograms per cubic metre and a 15-minute limit of 2.0 micrograms per cubic metre, with an action level of 0.1 micrograms per cubic metre.
- title: If it fails
lead: These failure routes come from the data sheet. No corrosion test is printed.
points:
- label: Relaxation
line: Materion's test shows 2% spring-force loss at 50% of yield stress and 5% at 100%, after 10,000 hours at 400 F (200 C). Longer or hotter service is outside the printed data.
- label: Soft stock
line: Annealed strip yields at 280 to 480 MPa. The aged AT and HT tempers have minimum yields of 1030 and 1590 MPa.
- title: Handling and storage
points:
- label: Follow the sheet
line: Read the safety data sheet and Materion's beryllium safety guidance before working with the material.
- label: Plating
line: Pickle copper-plated strip before age hardening, which minimizes oxide formation during hardening.
why: Nickel-beryllium Alloy 360 is used where a nickel-base spring must keep its force at temperatures that would limit copper alloys. Materion says the strip is used at up to 700 F (370 C) for short times and resists stress relaxation better than most spring materials. Matthey says copper alloys cannot be used above 200 C in the connector industry, where this alloy reaches 300 C and sometimes 350 C. Its strength comes from age hardening with about 2 wt% beryllium and 0.5 wt% titanium, so the strip can be formed soft and then hardened. The beryllium is the price, because its dust and fume are a serious health hazard during processing. Berylco Nickel Alloy 440 is an older trade name for a related nickel-beryllium-titanium alloy. No source read in this run says it is the same grade as UNS N03360, so its data are not used here. For the copper-based alternative, see the beryllium-copper profile.
uses:
- where: Sprinkler heads, thermostats and bellows
line: Materion lists Belleville washers for fire protection sprinkler heads, thermostats, bellows and diaphragms among typical applications. Matthey lists thermostats, bellows, casings and membranes as typical uses.
- where: Test sockets and connectors
line: Materion lists connectors and burn-in and test sockets among typical applications, for high-reliability electrical and electronic systems.
can_do:
- label: Strength when aged
value: 1590 MPa yield minimum
benchmark: yield_strength
line: In the HT temper the Materion minimum 0.2% offset yield strength is 1590 MPa, with a minimum tensile strength of 1860 MPa.
- label: Stiffness
value: 195 to 210 GPa
benchmark: elastic_modulus
line: The Materion data sheet gives a modulus of 195 to 210 GPa after age hardening.
- label: Conductivity
value: 6 %IACS minimum
benchmark: electrical_conductivity
line: Materion gives a minimum of 6 %IACS after age hardening, against 4 %IACS for the cold-rolled tempers.
- label: Fatigue
value: 586 to 655 MPa
benchmark: fatigue_strength
line: Materion gives 586 to 655 MPa in reverse bending at 10 million cycles for strip.
compare: Alloy 360 is chosen for spring force at temperature rather than for electrical conduction. Its conductivity is 4 to 6 %IACS according to Materion. Matthey says copper alloys cannot be used above 200 C in connectors, while this alloy is used at 300 C and above. The beryllium-copper profile covers the copper-based alternative. The compare rows below show this alloy's values only.
compare_rows:
- label: Density
benchmark: density
- label: Yield strength
benchmark: yield_strength
- label: Electrical conductivity
benchmark: electrical_conductivity
handling:
- Specify the temper and size, because yield strength runs from 280 to 480 MPa annealed up to 1590 MPa minimum when hardened to HT.
- Follow the safety data sheet and treat all machining, grinding and fume as a beryllium exposure risk.
- Pickle copper-plated strip before age hardening, then age harden for about 1.5 to 2.5 hours at 480 to 510 C, as Materion prints.
good_for:
- Springs, bellows and diaphragms that must keep their force at 200 C and above
- Test sockets and connectors that run hot
- Sprinkler-head Belleville washers, as Materion lists them
watch_out:
- 'Beryllium dust, mist and fume: inhalation can cause serious lung disease, and the alloy''s own SDS was not read'
- Matthey lists the strip as ferromagnetic, so do not assume the non-magnetic behaviour of beryllium copper
- Annealed strip is soft, and the aged tempers need the printed heat treatment
- No corrosion test data and no space-environment data were found for this alloy
verdict: Alloy 360 is a strong, heat-resistant nickel spring strip whose main risk is beryllium exposure during processing. Its aged tempers reach 1590 MPa minimum yield and it keeps its spring force at 200 C, but this profile has no corrosion test or space data.
recipe:
line: Alloy 360 is a nickel-base alloy with 1.85 to 2.05 wt% beryllium and 0.4 to 0.6 wt% titanium. It is sold annealed (A), in cold-rolled hard tempers (H) and as mill-hardened tempers that need no further heat treatment. Age hardening is generally 1.5 to 2.5 hours at 900 to 950 F (480 to 510 C), as Materion states.
parts:
- name: Nickel
symbol: Ni
share: balance; nickel plus additions above 99.5 wt%
role: The matrix and the main metal. Materion lists nickel as the balance.
- name: Beryllium
symbol: Be
share: 1.85 to 2.05 wt%
role: The age-hardening element. Materion calls the strip precipitation age-hardened, which gives the high-strength tempers.
- name: Titanium
symbol: Ti
share: 0.4 to 0.6 wt%
role: A minor addition printed in the composition table.
- name: Copper
symbol: Cu
share: 0.25 wt% maximum
role: Impurity limit printed by Matthey.
- name: Iron
symbol: Fe
share: 0.20 wt% maximum
role: Impurity limit printed by Matthey.
- name: Silicon
symbol: Si
share: 0.20 wt% maximum
role: Impurity limit printed by Matthey.
References
Every number above carries a reference number. Click one to see the source and where in it the value comes from.
| # | Source | Type | Year | Used for |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Alloy 360 Nickel-Beryllium Strip, Materion data sheet (High Strength at Elevated Temperature) | datasheet | 31 values | ||
| NiBe Alloy 360 data sheet, Lamineries Matthey (branch of Notz Metall AG) | datasheet | 2022 | 4 values | |
| Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Nickel | report | 2026 | 1 value | |
| Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Beryllium | report | 2026 | 1 value | |
| About the 2025 List of Critical Minerals (USGS, final list of 60 minerals) | web | 2025 | 0 values | |
| 29 CFR 1910.1024 Beryllium, Cornell Legal Information Institute | standard | 1 value |