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Alloys

Chapter 2

Alloys
1) Metals are always extracted with some impurities. To purify them, different purification processes are used which makes the metal lose some vital characteristics and becomes practically less useful for engineering purpose. 2) The metals lose tensile strength. Corrosion resistance and toughness. In pure form, they are very soft, highly chemically reactive, highly malleable and ductile which makes them prone to corrosion. 3) The properties of pure metals can be improved by alloying the pure metal with another suitable metal/non-metal. For example, pure iron can be alloyed to get steel, which shows the desired properties such as, toughness, high corrosion resistance etc. Here, steel is and alloy of iron with carbon (nonmetal), chromium/manganese (metals) etc. An alloy is a solid mixture of two or more metals or non-metals. Alloy must have necessarily, 1. At least one metal (base metal) 2. At least one additional metal or non-metal. 4) The properties of given metal (base metal) can be improved by alloying it with etc. other metals or elements like carbon, phosphorus

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Alloys

5) When two or more metals are mixed in their molten state and when this mixture is cooled, the two metals remain in intimate mixture without separation, thus forming a solid mixture. This solid homogeneous mixture of tow metals is called as alloy. Thus, an alloy is a substance/material formed by solidification of metallic solution of two or more metals/elements.

Purpose of Making Alloys: 1) Metals are used as a basic material in making various machines, used in industries or household articles or in other areas like making ships, railways, bridges, buildings etc.

2) During metallurgical processes involved in extraction of pure metal from its ores, the most important characteristics of metal are lost/reduced.This affects the performance of metals during operation under given service conditions in engineering uses.

3) The undesirable changes in the malleability, ductility, tensile strength, elastic limits, hardness have to be improved to make the metal suitable for its uses, which are affected by mixing the metals with other suitable elements.

4) Thus alloy formation, basically helps in getting the desired performance in the given service conditions economically.

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Alloys

5) The following properties of metals are generally modified/improved by alloying the metal, i.e. the purpose of alloying the metal is to improve, (i) (ii) (iii) (iv) (v) Hardness Tensile strength Corrosion resistance Castability Colours While to decrease, (vi) (vii) Melting point Malleability and ductility reactivity.

(viii) Chemical

Alloys of Aluminium:
Alloy Duralumin : Composition Al-95% Properties (i) Light weight (ii) (iii) (iv) Tough Ductile (i) Uses Aircraft industry (ii)Surgical instruments Automobile and locomotive parts

Cu- 3.5 % to 4.5% Mn-0.7% Mg-0.7% Fe + Si 0.7%

Good conductor of heat and electricity (iii)

(v) Corrosion resistant (vi) High machinability

(vii) High tensile strength Magnalium Al- 70% to 95% (i) Strong and lighter than Mg- 30% to 5% aluminium (ii)Similar to brass
Notes by Prof.Khateeb 9833163734

(i)

scientific instruments

(ii) aeroplane parts

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Alloys

Alloys of Brass:
Alloy Ordinary brass Composition Cu-60% to 90% (i) Properties greater sterength (ii) durability Uses (i) machine parts (ii)utensils

(iii)corrosion and water resistant Cap Copper Cu-95% Zn-5% (iv) (v) greater sterength durability Caps in ammunitions

corrosion and water resistant Commercial brass/French gold Cu-90% Zn-10% Golden coloured, harder and stronger than copper (i) imitation jewlelery (ii) hardwares (iii) Low brass or Dutch metal Ordinary Brass Muntz brass Cu-65% Zn-35% Cu-60% Zn-40% Suitable only for hard working Hot stamping, hot rolled products, chains, springs etc. Leaded Brass Cu-62.5% Zn-36% Pb-1.5% Aluminium brass Cu-76% Zn-22% Al-2%
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screws

Cu-80% Zn-20%

Golden coloured, harder and stronger than copper

Cheap jewellery Battery caps Name plates

Strong, hard and ductile

Utensils and castings

Good machinability, good resistance to corrosion Very highly resistant to sea water corrosion

Tubes and plates

Condenser tubes in marine installations.

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Alloys of Lead:
Alloy Soft solder Composition Pb-37% to 67% Sn-31% to 60% Sb-0.12% Tinnamans Solder Woods metal Pb-34% Sn-66% Bi-50% Pb-25% Sn-12.5% Cd-12.5% Stable Incompatible with acids, oxidizing agents. Harmful by inhalation or if swallowed. Skin and eye irritant Low melting alloys Joining articles of tin Low melting solder Low temperature casting Filler Repairing antiques Properties Low melting point Uses Electrical connections, sealings

Powder Metallurgy Introduction Powder metallurgy deals with the product of useful components from fine metal powders, from individual, mixed or alloyed with or without the inclusion of non-metallic constituents. In this process, 1) Metal is obtained in powder form. 2) Powdered metal is mixed with other element(s). 3) It is then subjected to high pressure so as to get compressed into desired shape.
Notes by Prof.Khateeb 9833163734

4) The shaped form is then finished into final form.

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Alloys

5) Various combinations with metals and/or non metals are possible. Thus powder metallurgy can be summarised in following steps/stages. a) Converting metal/s into powders.

b) Blending and mixing of powders.

c) Pressing or compressing or compacting in appropriate shapes.

d) Sintering the pressed powder compacts.

e) Sizing or coining the product.

Solder; an alloy of tin and lead. Tungsten carbide cutting tool tips Powder metallurgy is used in manufacturing alloys such as Wood's metal, where hot intimate mixture of powders of respective constituents is compressed under high pressure in a mould. Advantages of Powder Metallurgy 1) Materials can be made using, metal and metal or metal and non-metal in any desirable compositions.

2) Dimensional accuracy and finish of the materials arc excellent.

3) Porosity of material can be controlled; along with control over size, shape and distribution of pores, to achieve desired properties.
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4) It is possible to produce materials with properties similar to the parent metals unlike in typical alloying. Disadvantages of Powder Metallurgy:

1. The process is not suitable for manufacture of small number of components, because of, high initial investment on tooling and die cast and other equipment. 2. The process does not suit for forming components from metals like Mg, Al, Zr, Ti etc. This is because, such metals in powder from may explode and cause fire hazards when they come in contact with air. 3. Storages of metal powders requires precautions, because powder metals get oxidized in air if exposed. This causes wastage. 4. Process is not suitable to produce large size components because presses available of compaction are of limited capacity. 5. Process is not suitable to take care of density variation in components, as parts pressed from top tend to be less dense at the bottom. Metal Powder Formation

Metal powders are generally pure products. Their degree of purity, particle size and shape depends on the method by which the metal powder is manufactured.

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The following methods have been used in powder production. 1. Mechanical communition (i) This method is generally applied to metals like antimony which is comparatively brittle in nature. Such brittle metal can be (crushed to a size of 1 x 10" 4 mm., their shape being angular particles, which are most suitable in powder metallurgy (ii) Ductile metals can give powder form on crushing and milling, but the resulting product is flaky which is not suited in powder metallurgy. 2. Atomisation In this method, liquid metal is forced through a small orifise and jet of liquid is broken down by blast of compressed gas. Now a days in advanced/modified atomisation process, the metal is atomised by striking a rapidly rotating disc.

3. Reduction of metal oxides (i) In this process oxides of metals are reduced by using appropriate (ii) reduction technique.

For example : Iron powders, are obtained by reducing iron oxides. Such oxides are obtained in the form of iron ore concentrates, mill scales or steel scraps

4. Electrodeposition This method involves electroplating techniques. To obtain metal powders, all conditions are adjusted in such a manner that spongy or brittle deposits are obtained. These deposits are then ground to powder.
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5. Decomposition In this method, decomposition of compound metals give metal powders For example when Fe(CO)3 or Ni(CO)4 are decomposed, pure iron or nickel powders are obtained.

Sintering
The sintering operations consist of following steps: i. Heating the compacted components in furnaces provided with controlled atmosphere. ii. iii. Soaking Cooling

The heating is done keeping temperature below the melting point of all principal constituents of compact, or in certain cases at least any one constituent of compact. The different types of furnaces used for sintering operation are : a) Belt type b) Walking beam type c) Sealed high temperature batch type . d) Pusher type e) Roller hearth type f) Vacuum type. In most commonly employed commercial sintering operations, controlled atmosphere applied/maintained, is with respect to endothermic gas, nitrogen-hydrogen mixture, exothermic gas, cracked ammonia etc.

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