Beryllium oxide (
BeO), also known as
beryllia, is an
inorganic compound with the
formula BeO. This colourless solid is a notable electrical insulator with a higher thermal conductivity than any other non-metal except
diamond, and actually exceeds that of most metals. As an amorphous solid, beryllium oxide is white. Its high melting point leads to its use as a
refractory. It occurs in nature as the mineral
bromellite. Historically and in materials science, beryllium oxide was called
glucina or glucinium oxide. Formation of BeO from beryllium and oxygen releases
the highest energy per mass of reactants for any chemical reaction, close to 24 MJ/kg.
