Alkaline Earth Metals: Properties and Engineering Uses
Alkaline earth metals occupy Group 2 of the periodic table. They typically form +2 ions and range from lightweight structural metals to elements used in cement chemistry, ceramics, pyrotechnics and nuclear science.
Overview
Magnesium and beryllium are important in lightweight engineering, while calcium chemistry underpins cement, lime and many construction materials. Strontium and barium are used in specialized ceramics, magnets, drilling fluids and pyrotechnics. Radium is radioactive and now largely confined to research.
Periodic-table categories are useful for organizing trends, but they are not a substitute for material specifications. Engineering performance depends on purity, microstructure, processing history, temperature, environment and the way an element is combined into alloys or compounds.
