Alloys are mixtures of metals or mixtures of metals with one or more non-metals for the purpose of enhancing the properties of the base metals with respect to strength, durability, and their ability to conduct different activities.
The amalgamated process of combining a pure metal with one or more other metals or non-metals to enhance the qualities of the pure metal is called an alloy.
Here are a few examples of alloys that we use in everyday life. Scroll on to learn more details about the alloys listed here.
Examples Of Alloys
1. Bronze.
The first alloy to be discovered is bronze, which consists of about 85-88% copper and between 12-12.5% tin (and possibly a few other metals, like small proportions of aluminum, manganese, zinc, or nickel). The alloy was produced to enhance copper useful properties.
Uses: Bronze is used for the manufacture of sculptures, musical instruments, medals, and in industries.
2. Steel.
Steel is an iron and carbon alloy, where carbon content is about 1% and there may be other elements like manganese, etc. Steel is manufactured due to its tough, hard, and corrosion-resistant properties.
Uses: Steel is relatively cheap and therefore used wherever possible – roads, railways, airports, bridges, skyscrapers, etc. In addition, steel is used to manufacture major appliances and is used as an ingredient in many other construction materials, household products, etc.
Types of Steel
Carsob Steel: A steel which consists of carbon up to 2.1% by weight.
Stainless Steel: Stainless steel is also known as inox steel. It consists of a minimum proportion of 11% chromium by mass and maximum of 1.2% of carbon by mass.
Tool Steel: Tool steel is a high-quality carbon and alloy steels with the carbon content of 0.5% and 1.5% that is used by´s to manufacture tools, which are required in shaping the other materials.
Alloy Steel: Alloy steel is made by combining carbon steel with one or more of the alloying elements manganese, silicon, nickel, titanium, copper, chromium, and aluminum.
3. Brass.
Brass is like bronze, but the difference is mainly that bronze is an alloy of copper and tin, while brass is an alloy of copper and zinc with minor additional elements such arsenic, lead, phosphorus, aluminum, manganese, and silicon. Brass alloy is commonly made to improve electrical and mechanical properties.
Use: Brass is used in the manufacturing of decoration items, locks, zippers, gears, doorknobs, musical instruments, etc. Brass is also used in plumbing and in electrical applications.
Types of Brass
Alpha Brass: Alpha brass has greater than 65% of copper and less than 35% of zinc, it has only one phase and is malleable & ductile, can be worked cold, and also used for welding, pressing, forging, or similar activities.
Alpha-Beta Brass: Alpha-Beta brass contains a 55-65% portion of copper and 35-45% of zinc, more commonly known as duplex brass, that can be used for hot workings. It has both alpha and beta phases, this makes it stronger than alpha brass.
Beta Brass: Beta Brass consists of 50-55% of copper, and 45-50% of zinc. It is made from a beta structure, this explains why it is stronger than alpha and alpha-beta brass. It can only be worked hot.
Gamma Brass: Gamma brass is made with 33-39% copper and 61-67% zinc.
White Brass: White Brass has less than 50% of copper and more than 50% of zinc; it is brittle, with a silver appearance, rather than yellow.
4. Alnico.
Alnico is a ferromagnetic alloy of iron with aluminum, nickel, and cobalt. The name is a shorthand for Al-Ni-Co (aluminum, nickel, and cobalt).
Alnico is said to be the strongest type of magnet, following neodymium and samarium cobalt.
Application: it is used as permanent magnets.
5. Solder.
Solder is a melted metal alloy used to permanently connect two or more metal workpieces. The alloy most often consists of tin and lead, with small amounts of other metals.
Use: This alloy is used to make permanent connections between electrical components.
6. Cast Iron.
Cast iron is an alloy of iron that contains 96-98% of iron, 2-4% of carbon, and traces of silicon. They have low melting points, castability, formability, good fluidity, deformation resistance and wear resistance.
Uses: It is used in metal structures like bridges and heavy-duty cooking utensils.
7. Sterling Silver.
Sterling Silver is an alloy made with 92.5% of silver and 7.5% of other metal, usually copper. Silver tarnishes readily.
To prevent it from tarnishing, copper as well as several other metals are added to silver to produce an alloy called sterling silver. This also improves the hardness and strength of silver.
Use: Sterling silver is used for cutlery, jewelry, musical instruments, and other medical tools.
8. White Gold.
White gold is defined as an alloy of gold and at least one white metal, usually either silver, nickel or palladium.
Use: Gold-Nickel alloy is hard and strong. Rings, pins are recommeded products. Gold-Palladium allow is soft and is used for white gold gemstone settings that changes strength and increases durability.
9. Rose Gold.
Rose gold is a gold-copper alloy that was first introduced in Russia during the 19th century and is also referred to as Russian gold. It is sometimes called pink gold or red gold.
Use: Used for wedding rings, bracelets and jewelry.
10. Wood’s Metal.
Wood’s metal is an alloy that consisted of 10 % cadmium, 13.3% tin, 26.7% lead, and 50 % bismuth by weight. Wood’s metal alloy was invented by Barnabas Wood.
Use: Generally, Wood’s metal is used as a valve element in the fire sprinkler system in buildings, a valve in a high-performance engineering shop, technical laboratory, restoring antiques, etc.
11. Nichrome.
Nichrome is different alloys containing nickel, chromium and iron. This alloy can be a type of resistance wire.
Nichrome has a high melting point, low cost of manufacture, strength, ductility, low electrical conductivity and resistance to oxidation. Due to all of these properties Nichrome is used as a heating element.
Uses: Used in explosives and fireworks, and heating elements.