Non-Ferrous

Metals/Alloys
Non-Ferrous Metals/Alloys

Steel and other ferrous alloys are
consumed in exceedingly large quantities
because they have such a wide range of
mechanical properties, may be fabricated
with relative ease, and are economical to
produce. However, they have some distinct
limitations, chiefly (1) a relatively high
density, (2) a comparatively low electrical
conductivity, and (3) an inherent
susceptibility to corrosion in some common
environments.

On occasion, a distinction is made
between cast and wrought alloys. Alloys
that are so brittle that forming or shaping
by appreciable deformation is not possible
typically are cast; these are classified as
On the other hand, those that
are amenable to mechanical deformation
are termed
Copper and Its Alloys
The mechanical and corrosion-
resistance properties of copper may
be improved by alloying. Most copper
alloys cannot be hardened or
strengthened by heat-treating
procedures;
consequently, cold working and/or
solid-solution alloying must be used to
improve these mechanical properties.

Brass - The most common
copper alloys are the
brasses, for which zinc, as a
substitutional impurity, is
the predominant alloying
element. Some of the
common brasses are yellow,
naval, and cartridge brass;
muntz metal; and gilding
metal. The compositions,
properties, and typical uses
of several of these alloys
are listed in Table 13.6.
Some of the common uses
for brass alloys include
costume jewelry, cartridge
casings, automotive
radiators, musical
instruments, electronic
packaging, and coins.


Bronze - The bronzes are alloys of
copper and several other elements,
including tin, aluminum, silicon, and
nickel. These alloys are somewhat
stronger than the brasses, yet they still
have a high degree of corrosion
resistance. Generally they are used
when, in addition to corrosion
resistance, good tensile properties are
required.

Applications:
Wiring, fluid caring applications and
jewelry.
Aluminum and Its Alloys
Aluminum and its alloys are
characterized by a relatively low
density (2.7 g/cm3 as compared to
7.9 g/cm 3 for steel), high electrical
and thermal conductivities, and a
resistance to corrosion in some
common environments, including
the ambient atmosphere. Many of
these alloys are easily formed by
virtue of high ductility; generally,
aluminum alloys are classified as
either cast or wrought.

Composition for both types is
designated by a four-digit
number that indicates the
principal impurities and, in some
cases, the purity level. For cast
alloys, a decimal point is located
between the last two digits. After
these digits is a hyphen and the
basic
letter and possibly a one- to
three-digit number, which
indicates the mechanical and/or
heat treatment to which the alloy
has been subjected.
Applications:
Food packaging, cooking equipment,
housings and frameworks for
electronics and appliances,
automotive engine part bodywork,
chassis, airplanes, trains, ships,
window frames, trims, doors, internal
combustion engines.
Magnesium and Its Alloys
Perhaps the most outstanding
characteristic of magnesium is its
density, 1.7 g/cm 3, which is the
lowest of all the structural metals;
therefore, its alloys are used where
light weight is an important
consideration (e.g., in aircraft
components). Magnesium, like
aluminum, has a moderately low
melting temperature [651C (1204F)].
Chemically, magnesium
alloys are relatively
unstable and especially
susceptible to corrosion
in marine environments.
On the other hand,
corrosion or oxidation
resistance is reasonably
good in the normal
atmosphere; it is
believed that this
behavior is due to
impurities rather than
being an inherent
characteristic of Mg
alloys.

These alloys are also classified as either
cast or wrought, and some of them are
heat treatable.
and some of the rare
earths are the major alloying elements.
These alloys are
Furthermore, in recent years
the demand for magnesium alloys has
increased dramatically in a host of
different industries. For many
applications, magnesium alloys have
replaced engineering plastics that have
comparable densities because the
magnesium materials are stiffer, more
recyclable, and less costly to produce.

Applications:
Pyrotechnics, flares, lightweight,
structural components; aircraft engine
castings wheels, ladders, loading
ramps, sporting goods, power tool
housing and motor housing.
Titanium and Its Alloys
Titanium and its alloys are relatively new
engineering materials that possess an
extraordinary combination of
properties.The pure metal has a
relatively low density (4.5 g/cm3), a high
melting point [1668C (3035F)], and an
elastic modulus of 107 GPa (15.5 106
psi).Titanium alloys are extremely strong:
room-temperature tensile strengths as
high as 1400 MPa (200,000 psi) are
attainable, yielding remarkable specific
strengths.

The major limitation
of titanium is its
chemical reactivity
with other materials
at elevated
temperatures. This
property has
necessitated the
development of
nonconventional
refining, melting,
and casting
techniques;
consequently,
titanium alloys are
quite expensive.
In spite of this reactivity at high
temperature, the corrosion resistance of
titanium alloys at normal temperatures is
unusually high; they are virtually immune
to air, marine, and a variety of industrial
environments. Table 13.9 presents
several titanium alloys along with their
typical properties and applications. They
are commonly utilized in airplane
structures, space vehicles, and surgical
implants and in the petroleum and
chemical industries.

Applications:
Medical implants, jewelry,
consumer electronics, spring,
cars, bikes, planes and
galvanization.
The Refractory Metals
Metals that have extremely high melting
temperatures are classified as refractory
metals.
Included in this group are niobium (Nb),
molybdenum (Mo), tungsten (W), and
tantalum (Ta). Melting temperatures range
between 2468C (4474F) for niobium and
3410C (6170F), the highest melting
temperature of any metal, for tungsten.
Interatomic bonding in these metals is
extremely strong, which accounts for the
melting temperatures and, in addition, large
elastic moduli and high strengths and
hardnesses, at ambient as well as elevated
temperatures.
Applications:
The applications of these metals are
varied. For example, tantalum and
molybdenum are alloyed with stainless
steel to improve its corrosion resistance.
Molybdenum alloys are used for
extrusion dies and structural parts in
space vehicles; incandescent light
filaments, x-ray tubes, and welding
electrodes employ tungsten alloys.
Tantalum is immune to chemical attack
by virtually all environments at
temperatures below 150C and is
frequently used in applications requiring
such a corrosion-resistant material.

The Superalloys
The superalloys have superlative
combinations of properties. Most are
used in aircraft turbine components,
which must withstand exposure to
severely oxidizing environments and
high temperatures for reasonable time
periods. Mechanical integrity under these
conditions is critical; in this regard,
density is an important consideration
because centrifugal stresses are
diminished in rotating members when the
density is reduced.
These materials are classified
according to the predominant
metal(s) in the alloy, of which
there are three groupsiron
nickel, nickel, and cobalt.
Other alloying elements
include the refractory metals
(Nb, Mo, W, Ta), chromium,
and titanium. Furthermore,
these alloys are also
categorized as wrought or
cast. Compositions of several
of them are presented in
Table 13.10. In addition to
turbine applications,
superalloys are used in
nuclear reactors and
petrochemical equipment.
Applications:
Jet engine parts, surgical
implants, cutting tools, magnets,
anti-friction bearings, and
agricultural equipment.
The Noble Metals
The noble or precious metals are a
group of eight elements that have
some physical characteristics in
common. They are expensive
(precious) and are superior or notable
(noble) in properties
characteristically soft, ductile, and
oxidation resistant.
The noble metals are silver, gold,
platinum, palladium, rhodium,
ruthenium, iridium, and osmium; the
first three are most common and are
used extensively in jewelry. Silver and
gold may be strengthened by solid-
solution alloying with copper; sterling
silver is a silvercopper alloy
containing approximately 7.5 wt%
Cu.Alloys of both silver and gold are
employed as dental restoration
materials. Some integrated circuit
electrical contacts are of gold.

Miscellaneous Nonferrous Alloys
The preceding discussion covers the
vast majority of nonferrous alloys;
however, a number of others are
found in a variety of engineering
applications, and a brief mention of
these is worthwhile. Nickel and its
alloys are highly resistant to corrosion
in many environments, especially
those that are basic (alkaline).

Nickel is often coated or
plated on some metals that
are susceptible to corrosion as
a protective measure. Monel,
a nickel-based alloy
containing approximately 65
wt% Ni and 28 wt% Cu (the
balance is iron), has very high
strength and is extremely
corrosion resistant; it is used
in pumps, valves, and other
components that are in
contact with acid and
petroleum solutions. As
already mentioned, nickel is
one of the principal alloying
elements in stainless steels
and one of the major
constituents in the
superalloys.
Lead, tin, and their alloys find some
use as engineering materials. Both
lead and tin are mechanically soft and
weak, have low melting temperatures,
are quite resistant to many corrosion
environments, and have
recrystallization temperatures below
room temperature. Some common
solders are leadtin alloys, which
have low melting temperatures.

Applications:
Applications for lead and its alloys
include x-ray shields and storage
batteries. The primary use of tin is as a
very thin coating on the inside of plain
carbon steel cans (tin cans) that are
used for food containers; this coating
inhibits chemical reactions between the
steel and the food products.
Guitar strings magnets, rechargeable
batteries, computer hard drives, collage
and as an alloying agent.