Malaysia SPM Form 4 Chemistry, Chapter 9: Manufactured Substances in Industries

Contents
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• 1 Introduction
• 2 Purpose of Making Alloys
o 2.1 Hardness of metals:
o 2.2 To prevent corrosion of metals:

o 2.3 Beauty and lustre of metals:

[edit] Introduction
• An alloy is a mixture of two or more metals mixed in a certain percentage.

Characteristic of metal

• A pure metal has the following characteristics:

1. Ductile – can be drawn into wires

2. Malleable – can be made into sheets
3. High melting and boiling points
4. High density
5. High electrical conductivity

• Many metal are also soft. Metals like iron and copper also form oxides easily.
• As a result, the uses of pure metals are limited, and alloys are made to improve
the malleability, ductileness and hardness of a metal.
• A pure metal is composed of layers of atoms which are arranged in an even,
orderly and close manner at fixed positions (see Figure 9.8). Each atom is
surrounded by 8-12 atoms.

• This arrangement of atoms causes the metal to be very dense with high melting
and boiling points. The strong forces of attraction between atoms require a great
amount of heat to overcome.
• However, in spite of strong forces of attraction between atoms, the metal is not
hard. If a force is applied on the metal, the layers of atoms can glide and slide on
top of each other, causing them to move to new positions. This allows the metal to
be drawn into wires (ductile). (See Figure 9.9.)
 • The spaces left naturally between layers of metal atoms also make it easy to be
beaten into sheets (malleable).
• The formation of alloys occurs when these empty spaces between metal atoms are
filled with atoms of another metal, which may be higher or smaller than the
original metal atoms. (Figure 9.10)
• The foreign atoms are usually another metal but sometimes a non-metal, like a
carbon or silicon is used.
• The foreign atoms filling up the spaces between the atoms of the pure metal help
to prevent the slipping and sliding of atom layers, thus making the metal harder,
and less malleable and ductile.

[edit] Purpose of Making Alloys

• Alloys are made to

1. increase the hardness of metals.

2. prevent the corrosion of metals.
3. improve the beauty and lustre of metals.

[edit] Hardness of metals:

• Alloys improve the strength of metal.

• Carbon is added to iron to obtain steel to make it stronger and harder than pure
iron. Other metals like manganese, chromium and tungsten are also added to add
to the hardness.
• Magnalium is made from aluminium and magnesium to improve the hardness of
the pure metals but at the same time, maintaining their lightness.

[edit] To prevent corrosion of metals:

• Tin and iron are used vastly in building but they rust easily, thereby causing
economical loss. Adding other metals or non-metals to them can prevent rusting.
• Stainless steel is made by adding carbon, chromium and nickel to iron.
• Adding phosphorus to bronze also improves the lustre and prevents corrosion of
bronze.

[edit] Beauty and lustre of metals:

• Making alloys also improve the beauty and lustre of metals. They are thus used as
decorative items as they do not tarnish easily.
• Stainless steel is used to make forks and spoons.
 • Copper and antimony added to tin produces pewter, used to make decorative
items.

Composition, Characteristic, and Uses of Alloy

Alloy Composition Properties Uses
Cupronickel Cu 75% Hard, strong, resists
Coins
(Coins) Ni 25% corrosion
Al 95%
Aeroplane parts, electric cables,
Duralumin Cu 4% Light, strong
racing bicycles
Mg 1%
Fe 99%
Steel Hard, strong, cheap Vehicles, ships, bridges, buildings
C 1%
Fe73% Kitchen appliances, watches,
Cr 18% machine parts,
Stainless steel Hard, rust resistant
Ni 8%
C 1% knives, forks, spoons
Cu 90% Decorative items, medals,
Bronze Hard, strong, shining
Sn 10% artwork, pots and pans
Decorative items, electrical
appliances, musical
Cu 70% Harder and cheaper
Brass
Zn 30% than Cu
instruments, bell, nails, screw,
pots
Pb 50% Low melting point,
Snider Welding and soldering work
Sn 50% strong
Sn 91%
Malleable, ductile, rust
Pewter Sb 7% Decorative items, souvenirs
resistant
Cu 2%
Al 70%
Magnalium Light, strong
Mg 30%