Beryllium Copper
Copper-beryllium spring and connector alloy, distinct from generic brass/copper.
Overview
Beryllium copper (CuBe) is a precipitation-hardening copper alloy used for high-reliability connectors, springs, and non-sparking or non-magnetic tooling. A few tenths of a percent beryllium give high strength, fatigue life and conductivity that ordinary brass cannot match. The library's brass/copper-alloys page covers Cu-Zn, busbars and terminals in general. This listing is the CuBe family (typically C17200-class and related grades) used in high-cycle connector springs, sensor contacts and specialist motorsport tooling. Handling of beryllium-bearing dust is tightly controlled; the useful automotive form is the wrought alloy, not elemental beryllium metal. Buyable forms are strip, rod, wire and machined parts, usually age-hardened after forming. It is not a structural body alloy.
Automotive Applications
Similar Materials
Brass / Copper Alloys
Copper Alloy
Brass and copper-alloy strip and rod for busbars, terminals and connectors, distinct from pure copper.
Copper
Pure Copper
Highly conductive metal essential for electrical systems
Iridium
Platinum Group Metal (PGM)
Iridium is an extremely rare, corrosion-resistant platinum group metal (PGM) with exceptional hardness and a melting point above 2400°C. In automotive and clean-energy systems it is used in spark-plug electrodes, catalytic and electrocatalytic coatings, and proton-exchange membrane (PEM) electrolyser anodes.
NdFeB Magnets
Rare-Earth Permanent Magnet
Sintered neodymium-iron-boron permanent magnets for traction motors, distinct from elemental neodymium.
Properties
Category
Type
Copper-Beryllium Alloy
Available Forms
Key Properties
- High strength with copper conductivity
- Precipitation-hardenable
- Fatigue-resistant spring alloy
- Distinct from brass and generic copper
- Non-magnetic / non-sparking grades
- Controlled handling of Be-bearing dust