Beryllium and compounds have an unusual toxicity profile. Beryllium is not
directly toxic as, say, arsenic is. However, how it harms you is to cause
an intense allergic reaction. In the lungs, this results in fibrosis from
the inflammation and severely affects lung function. Chuck is correct in
that most companies tinted BeO parts pink but I have certainly seen
non-tinted parts. I once found some long white pipes in a surplus yard.
Though they were not pink, they had a warning label on them. I alerted the
owner to this and he said he¡¯d be careful, but he was somewhat pleased
because beryllia scraps out at a higher price than alumina.
Chuck is also correct in that beryllium and its compounds are safe if you
don¡¯t create dust or fumes from them (no grinding or welding). Slivers of
beryllium can cause an allergic reaction in your skin around the sliver.
You should be safe using the heatsink pad as intended but it does need
heatsink compound to be effective.
Steve H.
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On Thu, Jul 2, 2020 at 09:19 Chuck Harris <cfharris@...> wrote:
It has been reported that Tektronix used BeO ceramic all
over the place.
Some common examples are the heat sink insulators for
the 5000 series H and V output transistors.
They also used it as the heat sink bar that fits under
the EHT for the 657 scopes.
This particular heat sink insulator looks probable to me.
Some more responsible companies tinted their BeO ceramics
pink or purple as a warning, but not tektronix, as far as
I have seen.
You needn't be terribly fearful, though. If you aren't
machining it into a fine dust, you should be ok.
Regardless of what it is, you will need heatsink compound.
The pieces you have are probably still serviceable, as I
doubt there is enough voltage there to jump the thickness
of the pad even if it were free air. Goop them up with
compound, and screw the device back down.
About the only stuff that doesn't need heatsink compound
are silicone heatsink pads... which are made out of heatsink
compound.
-Chuck Harris
John Gord via groups.io wrote:
Toby,
If it is a hard, brittle ceramic-like slab, it is probably alumina
(aluminum oxide). It is a good electrical insulator and a reasonably good
thermal conductor. Beryllium oxide looks similar, but is unlikely here
because of its hazards.
--John Gord
On Wed, Jul 1, 2020 at 08:52 PM, <toby@...> wrote:
Hi,
In preparation for testing/replacing components on the HV & regulator
board, I removed it, and seem to have accidentally broken one of the
heatsink pads under a bottom transistor (see pic).
What is this material?
/g/TekScopes/photo/249616/0?p=Created,,,20,2,0,0
Should it be used with thermal paste or not?
Thanks
--Toby
