The Next Step - Beryllium Metal

Antoine-Alexandre-Brutus Bussy (1794-1882) was a pharmacist and doctor. He became professor of chemistry at the ficole de Pharmacie in Paris. An inorganic chemistry experiment he performed in 1828 entitles him to a position in the story of element discoveries. Beryllium chloride and potassium metal were mixed in a platinum crucible, which was closed by a platinum hd. The crucible was heated by a spirit lamp. The reaction was so violent that the crucible became white hot After washing the residue with water, elemental beryllium remained as a grayish-black powder. Independently, and about the same time, F. Wohler in Germany carried out the same reaction. 

In the decades after Davy the technique of electrolysis of fused salts was developed rapidly, at the same time as electrotechnology was being transformed. The first to prepare beryllium in this way was the French chemist Paid Leheau. Around 1900, he electrolyzed a fluoride melt of potassium and beryllium in a nickel crucible. He used a graphite anode, with the nickel crucible as the cathode. The voltage and current were 80 V and 20 A respectively. On the inside of the crucible, berylHum crystals were deposited with a purity better then 99.5%. 

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