Metal Alloys
Lesson 1: What is Metal?
Metals maintain specific physical properties that distinguished them from non-metals and metalloids.
The most obvious difference is that they are good conductor of heat and electricity. They are typically
hard when solid and have a glossy appearance. They can be hammered or worked into different shapes
and can also be melted and cast into molds or cut with machine tools to create a valuable objects
How Are They Formed
After metals are extracted from the ground as raw ore they undergo the following process;
> crushing the ore into powder
> heating it to high temperature
> rinsing it with water or a chemical bath
> filtering the sludge
> precipitating out the liquid
> applying an electric current to break strong chemical bonds
Once metal is extracted, it can be used for many purposes, from aluminum cans to steel scaffolding,
from galvanized roofs to electronic circuits.
Definition of Terms
Metals - are opaque, lustrous elements that are good conductors of heat and electricity.
Metalloids - have a metallic appearance, brittle and a fair conductor of electricity but mostly behave as
non- metals
Alloy - a mixture of chemical elements of which at least one is a metal and retain all the properties of a
metal.
Ferrous metals - metals that contain iron and steel.
Iron - most important of all metals used to manufacture steel.
Steel - it is an alloy and not a pure element and a variant of metal.
Ore - a naturally occurring mineral containing valuable constituent such as metals which is mined and
worked.
Lesson 2: Types, Properties and Uses of Metals
All metals are solid with an exception for mercury which is in liquid state in its natural form.
Metals are typically ductile and malleable which is the result of metallic bond between atoms or
molecules of the metal
Generally, there are three types of metals as shown from the diagram.
Three Main Types of Metals
a) Ferrous metals - consist mostly of iron and small amounts of other elements and are prone to rusting
when exposed to moisture and can be magnetized.
b) Amorphous metals - a solid metallic material, usually an alloy with disordered atomic-scale structure
c) Non-ferrous metals - they do not have any iron in them at all which means that they are not attracted
to magnet and neither rust when exposed to moisture.
Physical Properties of Metals
This includes the following:
> Lustrous - shiny appearance
> Color
> Size
> Shape
> Density - mass or amount of matter in a unit volume
> Melting points
> Electric and thermal conductivity
> Specific heat - the energy required to raise the temperature of a unit mass by one degree.
Table 2.1: Physical Properties of Metals
Mechanical Properties of Metals
Mechanical properties of metals are those that are associated with the ability of the material to resist
mechanical forces and load and includes the following:
1. Strength - ability of material to resist the externally applied forces without breaking.
2. Stiffness - ability of material to resist deformation under stress.
3. Elasticity - property of material to regain its original shape after deformation when external forces are
removed.
4. Plasticity - material retains the deformation permanently even when unloaded.
5. Ductility - enables the material to be drawn into wire with the application of tensile force.
6. Brittleness - the property of breaking with little permanent distortion.
7. Malleability - special case of ductility which permits materials to be rolled or hammered.
8. Toughness - property of material to resist fracture due to high impact loads like hammer blows.
9. Machinability- property that refers to relative case with which material can be cut.
10. Resilience - Property that absorbs energy and resist shock and impact loads.
11. Creep - a slow and permanent deformation as when a part is subjected to a constant stress at high
temperature for a long time.
12. Fatigue - when a material is subjected to a repeated stresses, it fails at stresses below the yield point
stress.
13. Hardness - ability to withstand friction essentially abrasion resistant an expressed in numbers
dependent on the method of making the test
> Brinell hardness test
> Rockwell hardness test
> Vicker’s hardness test
> Shore seleroscope
Electrical Properties of Metals
1. Conductivity - degree to which a material conducts electricity.
2. Resistivity - electrical resistance of a conductor of unit cross-sectional area and unit length.
3. Dielectric strength - is measured as the maximum voltage required to produce a dielectric breakdown
through a material.
4. Semiconductors - a substance that has specific electrical properties that enable it to serve as a
foundation for computers and other electronic devices.
6. Superconductors - A superconductor is a material that can conduct electricity or transport electrons
from one atom to another with no resistance used extensively in miniaturized electronic circuitry.
Magnetic Properties of Metals
1. Ferromagnetism - phenomenon characterized by high permeability and permanent magnetization
that are due to the alignment of iron, nickel, and cobalt atoms in domains. (eg. electric motors, electric
generators, electric transformers and microwave devices)
2. Piezoelectric effect - a reversible interaction between an elastic strain and an electric field.
3. Magnetostriction – the phenomenon of expansion or contraction of a material when it is subjected to
a magnetic field.
Chemical Properties of Metals
1. Oxidation - the act or process of oxidizing or the condition of being oxidized example metal rusts
because it is oxidized by exposure to the air.
2. Corrosion- refers to the deteriorations of metals which reduces their strength and structural integrity.
Manufacturing Properties
The methods used to process materials to the desired shapes can adversely affect the product’s final
properties, service life, and cost. The manufacturing properties for metals are:
1. Casting- is a process of pouring molten metal into a mold cavity, where upon solidification, it takes
the shape of the cavity.
2. Forming- is changing the shape of the existing solid body. (e.g.a metal body for an automobile is made
by forming sheet metals in dies, starting with flat sheet.
3. Shaping- it is usually done by molding and casting. The resulting product is usually at or near the final
desired shape and may require little or no further finishing.
4. Machining- The parts to be machined maybe produced by casting, forging, extrusion and powder-
metallurgy. The closer the blank to be machined to the final shape desired, the fewer the number and
extent of the subsequently machining processes is required.
5 Joining - joining processes such as welding, brazing, soldering, adhesive bonding, and mechanical
fastening.
6. Finishing – is a process of completing the surface and body to make it complete to end product.
Uses or Applications of Metals
1. In the Construction Industry - metals like iron, steel amongst others are the main materials used in
the construction of buildings and even homes.
2. In Electronics - used to make wires and parts for equipment and gadgets that function on electrical
current. (eg. TV, mobiles, fridge, flat iron, computers etc.)
3. Decorative products - metals such as platinum, gold, and silver come under the category of precious
metals and have high economical value. These metals are widely used in making jewelry sets or for some
decorative pieces.
4. In medicine- if you are wondering how, well from a biological perspective metals are found as micro-
elements in our bodies. Besides, the presence of metal elements is crucial for several functions like
transmission of nerve impulses, oxygen flow, reaction between enzymes etc. Some medicines are
therefore liaised with metal compounds to treat certain deficiencies or sickness. Metals like iron,
calcium, magnesium, potassium, titanium and aluminum are used commonly in medicine in the form of
antacids.
5. Manufacturing - they are used extensively in manufacturing machines for industries, agriculture or
farming and automobiles which include road vehicles, railways, aero planes, rockets etc. Here, the
commonly used metals are iron, aluminum and steel.
Besides these, most of the utensils that are used in the kitchen are made from metals like steel,
aluminum, and copper. Due to a high temperature with standing nature metals are preferred the most.
Lesson 3: General Steps in Material Selection
1. Analysis of the performance requirements
> Functional requirements
> Processability requirements
> Cost
> Reliability requirements
> Resistance to service conditions
2. Development of alternative solution to the problems
> Search for the material that would best meet those requirements.
> starting point is the entire range of engineering materials
> a steel may be the best material for one design concept while a plastic is best for a different concept,
even though the two designs provide similar functions.
> The importance of this phase is that it creates alternatives without much regard to their feasibility.
3. Evaluation of the different solutions
4. Decision of the optimum solution
Choosing the right material when manufacturing a new product is vital for its success. Clients often
come to us with a new product concept or one that is failing in production.
We then work together to determine the function they are trying to achieve. By understanding our
clients’ needs properly, we can determine the best material to achieve success.
What do we look for in choosing materials?
> Function – what we need this product to do
> Durability – the product should stand the test of time
> Aesthetics – the fine balance between appearance, durability and cost
> Consistency of performance – the product should record a low failure rate in testing
> Cost – the balance between high quality materials and keeping costs at an appropriate level
