METALS
INTRODUCTION
• Metals are solid material that are generally hard, shiny, malleable, fusible, ductile, and have good
electrical and thermal conductivity.
• Metals are commonly used in the construction industry due to their durability and strength to
form structural components, pipework, cladding materials and other components.
• Metals are solid material that are generally hard, shiny, malleable, fusible, ductile, and have good
electrical and thermal conductivity.
• Metals are opaque, lustrous elements that are good conductors of heat and electricity.
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PROPERTIES OF METALS
• HARDNESS
• BRITTLENESS
• DUCTILITY
• MALEABILITY
• ELASTICITY
• TOUGHNESS
• FUSIBILITY
• CONDUCTIVITY
• DENSITY
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FERROUS METALS
• A metal with the descriptor “ferrous” means that it has iron in its composition. When the term ferrous
metal is used, it also usually implies that iron is a large percentage of the elemental composition.
• If it’s not the most abundant element, it would probably be the second or third most prolific. If a metal only
contains trace amounts of iron, as many metals do, then that small amount is not considered enough to
declare the metal ferrous
• Ferrous metals are any metal that contains iron, such as stainless steel. They are known for their tensile
strength, which makes them ideal for architectural and structural uses such as the tallest skyscrapers, as
well as bridges, railways and more
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PROPERTIES OF FERROUS METALS
• Durable.
• Great tensile strength.
• Usually magnetic.
• Low resistance to corrosion.
• A silver-like colour.
• Recyclable.
• Good conductors of electricity
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FERROUS METALS
• Steel: Steel is an alloy of iron and carbon, with varying amounts of other elements such as chromium,
manganese and nickel. It is commonly used in construction for structural support, such as beams, columns
and trusses. Steel is also used for reinforcing concrete structures, such as in the form of rebar, and for
roofing and siding materials.
• Cast iron: Cast iron is a strong, brittle and corrosion-resistant material that is used in the construction of
pipes, valves, and fittings for plumbing and heating systems. Cast iron is also used for manhole covers,
grates, and other drainage components due to its high resistance to wear and tear.
• Wrought iron: Wrought iron is a tough, malleable, and ductile material that is used for decorative
purposes in construction, such as in ornamental railings, gates and fences. It is also used for structural
components, such as in the form of beams and columns.
• Stainless steel: Stainless steel is a corrosion-resistant alloy of iron, chromium, and other elements, such
as nickel and molybdenum. It is used extensively in construction for applications where corrosion
resistance is essential, such as in the construction of bridges, tunnels and coastal structures. 6
Applications of Ferrous Metals
Ferrous metals are used in a variety of applications. Listed below are its some major uses:
• Sturdy crushing machinery
• nuts, bolts girders and plates
• Car cylinder blocks and gear wheels
• machine tool parts, machine handle and engine parts
• vices, brake drums, and plumbing fittings
• Gears and shafts
• Cutting equipments for lathes
• Kitchen draining boards and cutlery
• Aircraft and pipes
• Chisels, files and lathe tools
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NON-FERROUS METALS
1) When a metal is defined as non-ferrous it means that it does not have a significant
amount of iron in its chemical composition.
2) Note the word “significant”; nearly all metal alloys have some trace, or non-significant,
amount of iron in their composition.
3)This does not make them ferrous alloys though. Non-ferrous alloys generally have iron
compositions of less than one percent as measured by weight.
4)There are a large number of non-ferrous materials, covering every metal and alloy that
does not contain iron. Non-ferrous metals include aluminium, copper, lead, nickel, tin,
titanium and zinc, as well as copper alloys like brass and bronze.
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PRPERTIES OF NON-FERROUS METALS
• High corrosion resistance.
• Easy to fabricate – machinability, casting, welding, etc.
• Great thermal conductivity.
• Great electrical conductivity.
• Low density (less mass)
• Colourful.
• Non-magnetic
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NON-FERROUS METALS
• Having been used by humans for thousands of years, copper is still widely used by industry. The addition of
copper alloys, brass (copper and zinc) and bronze (copper and tin) have widened the uses for this non-
ferrous metal further (see below for detail on these alloys).
• The properties of copper and its alloys include high thermal conductivity, high electrical conductivity, good
corrosion resistance, and high ductility.
• These properties have allowed copper and its alloys to be used for heat exchangers and heating vessels, as
an electrical conductor in wiring or motors, as a roofing material, for plumbing fittings, as well as for
saucepans and statues.
• Copper also oxidises to a green colour.
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COPPER
• The properties of copper and its alloys include high thermal conductivity, high electrical
conductivity, good corrosion resistance, and high ductility.
• These properties have allowed copper and its alloys to be used for heat exchangers and heating
vessels, as an electrical conductor in wiring or motors, as a roofing material, for plumbing
fittings, as well as for saucepans and statues.
• Copper also oxidises to a green colour.
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ALLUMINIUM
• Aluminium is an important metal that is used in a wide range of applications due to its low
weight and ease of machining. Despite being a relatively expensive material, aluminium is also
the base metal for many alloys.
• Being corrosion resistant and a good conductor of heat and electricity (albeit less so than
copper), as well as having good ductility and malleability, aluminium can require annealing as it
becomes hard following cold working.
• The light weight of aluminium makes it perfect for aerospace and automotive applications as
well as for marine use in yachts. Aluminium is also found in bicycle frames, saucepans and drink
cans.
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LEAD
• Lead has been used over the centuries for a range of applications, including for bullets, in fuels
and even in paint. However, it was found to be unhealthy when released into the atmosphere,
while other applications also caused harm to users.
• Lead is the heaviest common metal and is resistant to corrosion. It also doesn’t react with many
chemicals and is soft and malleable.
• Although many of its former uses are no longer allowed, lead is still widely used for batteries,
power cables, and acid tanks.
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ZINC
• Zinc has been used for centuries as an alloying element, particularly to alloy steel for a range of
purposes as well as alloying copper to create brass.
• Galvanising materials with alloying elements offers them a greater resistance to rust, affording it
uses for chain-link fencing, guardrails, suspension bridges, lampposts, metal roofs, heat
exchangers, and car bodies. Zinc is also used as a sacrificial anode in cathodic protection (CP)
and as an anode material for batteries. Zinc oxide is also used as a white pigment in paints and to
disperse heat during rubber manufacture.
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SILVER
• Silver has been used as a precious metal for centuries. With the highest electrical conductivity,
thermal conductivity and reflectivity of any metal, silver is also soft and malleable when heated
and is highly resistant to corrosion.
• Used for jewellery and currency, silver can also be found being used in solar panels, for water
filtration, in electrical contacts and conductors as well as for stained glass and even in
specialised confectionary.
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GOLD
• Another precious metal that has been used for jewellery and coinage, gold is the most malleable
of metals as well as being ductile and resistant to corrosion and many other chemical reactions.
• Its electrical conductivity has seen gold used in computer devices as well as for infrared
shielding, for the production of coloured glass, for gold leaf and also for tooth restoration.
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TITANIUM
• Titanium was first discovered in 1791 and offers good corrosion resistance and the highest
strength-to-density ratio of any metallic element. Unalloyed, it is as strong as some steels yet less
dense.
• It can be alloyed with metals including iron and aluminium to create strong yet lightweight
alloys for aerospace, automotive, agricultural, military, medical, and sporting uses as well as
being used for jewellery and mobile phones.
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ALLOYS
• Alloys mix a metal with an element to improve the properties or aesthetic, such as with brass,
which is a mixture of copper and zinc. Alloys can be either ferrous or non-ferrous in nature
although non-ferrous metals may require a finish as protection or to improve the appearance of
an alloyed product.
• Common non-ferrous alloys include bronze and brass, which have been cast since the Bronze
Age. These alloys melt at lower temperatures than ferrous materials and cast well, making them
ideal for decorative applications. Despite being softer than steel, bronze and brass are both
corrosion resistant, even in the presence of salt, and so are widely used for fittings on boats.
Brass is also resistant to ‘galling,’ when the metal wears against itself. This means that brass can
also be used for mechanical parts and machined to create items including locks, bearings and
zippers. Bronze is harder than brass, although both are quite expensive as they rely on copper.
Brass is created as an alloy of copper and zinc, while bronze is an alloy of copper with aluminium.
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METALS ARE USED IN
• Transportation -- Cars, buses, trucks, trains, ships, and airplanes.
• Aerospace -- Unmanned and manned rockets and the space shuttle.
• Computers and other electronic devices that require conductors (TV, radio, stereo, calculators, security
devices, etc.)
• Communications including satellites that depend on a tough but light metal shell.
• Food processing and preservation -- Microwave and conventional ovens and refrigerators and freezers.
• Construction -- Nails in conventional lumber construction and structural steel inother buildings.
• Biomedical applications -- As artificial replacement for joints and other prostheses.
• Electrical power production and distribution -- Boilers, turbines, generators, transformers, power lines,
nuclear reactors, oil wells, and pipelines.
• Farming -- Tractors, combines, planters, etc.
• Household conveniences -- Ovens, dish and clothes washers, vacuum cleaners, blenders, pumps, lawn
mowers and trimmers, plumbing, water heaters, heating/cooling, etc.
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THANK YOU
