Adding beryllium to some alloys increases
their resistance to heat and corrosion and improves
their hardness and insulating properties.
Many parts of supersonic aircraft are made of
beryllium alloys because of their lightness and
stiffness.
Because X-rays easily pass through pure beryllium,
the element is used as window material for X-ray tubes.
Beryllium and its oxide, beryllia, also are used as a
moderator, or blanket, around the core of a nuclear
reactor because of the tendency of beryllium to slow
down or capture neutrons.
Beryllium and its oxide are being used more in
industry. Besides its importance in aircraft and X-ray
tubes, beryllium is used in computers, lasers,
televisions, oceanographic instruments and personal body
armor.
Source: Microsoft Encarta Encyclopedia 2001
(www.encarta. msn.com)
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