Be
Beryllium · Be
Beryllium is a lightweight, stiff metallic element widely utilized for its exceptional structural stability and thermal properties in high-precision engineering.
About Beryllium
Beryllium is a unique metallic element characterized by its remarkably low density and high structural rigidity. As a thermodynamically stable phase, it maintains its integrity across a wide range of demanding environmental conditions, making it a critical material for high-performance engineering. Its metallic electronic character allows for excellent thermal conductivity, which is leveraged in specialized heat management systems. Given its extensive documentation across multiple structural databases, it remains one of the most thoroughly characterized elements in modern materials science. Its combination of light weight and mechanical robustness ensures its utility in sectors requiring extreme precision and durability.
Key Properties
Cross-validated computational properties for Beryllium, aggregated across 6 databases.
Band GapEnergy needed to move an electron from the valence band to the conduction band. Lower or zero values tend to behave more metallic; larger gaps are more insulating or semiconducting.
Energy Above HullThermodynamic distance from the most stable set of competing phases. 0 eV/atom is on the convex hull; small positive values may still be experimentally accessible.
StabilityA plain-language summary of the best reported energy-above-hull result. It reflects whether the lowest-energy structure is on, near, or far from the stability hull.
StructuresCount of reported calculated crystal structures for this formula, including alternate polymorphs, source databases, and observed space groups.
Cross-Source DFT Agreement
How well independent DFT databases agree on the thermodynamics of Be. Tight agreement means computed properties can be trusted without re-running calculations.
Agreement ScoreA normalized confidence score summarizing how closely independent DFT databases agree. Higher scores mean tighter cross-source agreement.
Hull SpreadDifference between the highest and lowest energy-above-hull values reported by comparable sources. Smaller spread means less thermodynamic disagreement.
Sources ComparedNumber and names of computational sources with comparable entries for this formula.
Space Group ConsensusWhether independent sources predict the same crystal symmetry for the lowest-energy structure.
Reported Structures
Lowest-energy structures reported for Be, ranked by energy above hull.
| Space GroupSymmetry classification of the crystal arrangement. The number is the international space-group index. | Crystal SystemBroad lattice family, such as cubic, tetragonal, monoclinic, or triclinic, derived from unit-cell symmetry. | Band Gap (eV)Electronic gap calculated for this specific reported structure, measured in electronvolts. | E above hull (eV/atom)Thermodynamic distance from the convex hull for this structure, normalized per atom. Lower is generally more stable. | E/atom (eV)Computed total energy normalized per atom. Use energy above hull, not this value alone, when comparing stability. | Density (g/cm³)Mass per relaxed crystal volume, reported in grams per cubic centimeter. |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| Im-3m (No. 229) | cubic | 0.00 | 0.0000 | 0.108 | — |
| P63/mmc (No. 194) | hexagonal | 0.00 | 0.0000 | 0.000 | — |
| P63/mmc (No. 194) | hexagonal | 0.00 | 0.0000 | 0.000 | — |
| P63/mmc (No. 194) | hexagonal | 0.00 | 0.0000 | 0.000 | — |
| Im-3m (No. 229) | cubic | 0.00 | 0.0000 | 0.108 | — |
| — | — | 0.00 | 0.0000 | 0.000 | — |
| P63/mmc (No. 194) | hexagonal | 0.00 | 0.0000 | -3.739 | 1.88 |
| — | — | 0.00 | 0.0002 | 0.000 | — |
| — | — | 0.00 | 0.0215 | 0.022 | — |
| — | — | 0.00 | 0.0339 | 0.034 | — |
| P42/mnm (No. 136) | tetragonal | 0.00 | 0.0505 | -3.689 | 1.87 |
| — | — | 0.00 | 0.0811 | 0.081 | — |
Applications
Where Beryllium is used.
Frequently Asked Questions
Common questions about Beryllium, answered from cross-validated data.
What is Be?
Beryllium is a lightweight, stiff metallic element widely utilized for its exceptional structural stability and thermal properties in high-precision engineering.
What is Be used for?
What is the band gap of Be?
Is Be a metal, semiconductor, or insulator?
Is Be thermodynamically stable?
What is the crystal structure of Be?
How many polymorphs of Be are known?
What elements does Be contain?
Where does the data for Be come from?
How It Compares
As a standalone elemental metal, beryllium occupies a unique position in materials science, often serving as a benchmark for lightweight structural performance. Unlike many other metallic elements that prioritize ductility, beryllium is prized for its extreme stiffness and high melting point, setting it apart as a specialized material for aerospace and nuclear applications where conventional alloys would fail to meet the necessary mechanical requirements.
Data sources & attribution
- jarvis — Data from JARVIS (jarvis.nist.gov), NIST. Cite: Choudhary et al., npj Comp. Mater. 6, 173 (2020). (LicenseRef-US-Gov-PD)
- oqmd — Data from the OQMD (oqmd.org). Cite: Saal et al., JOM 65, 1501 (2013); Kirklin et al., npj Comp. Mater. 1, 15010 (2015). (CC-BY-4.0)
- materials_project — Data from the Materials Project (materialsproject.org). Cite: Jain et al., APL Materials 1, 011002 (2013). (CC-BY-4.0)
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