An improved method for extruding and sintering beryllium oxide.

Abstract

A technique for the extrusion and sintering of beryllium oxide to produce high density, fine-grained, high strength material were modified and improved. This resulted in beryllium oxide (250 p.p.m. Fe) which after extrusion and sintering for 5 hours at 1400oC in nitrogen, had an average grain size 6 pts, a mean modulus of rupture equal to 34.840 p.c.i. when tested in 4-point bentiac and a density range of 2.86 to 2.90 g cm-3. Further modifications reduced the variations in grain size and density of the sintered specimens and increased the mean modulus of rupture. For example, double extruded material, when sintered for 6 hours at 1400oC in nitrogen had an average grain size of 8pm, a density of 2.92 g cm-3 and a mean modulus of rupture of 45,300 p.s.i.