Metals and alloys Flashcards
What are the 2 groups metals are placed in
ferrous and non- ferrous
what are ferrous metals
metals that contain iron and almost all are magnetic
Ferrous metal properties
- able to rust
- finishes applied to prevent rusting
- high strength and hardness
Examples of ferrous metals
Cast iron
Low Carbon steel
High carbon steel
Cast iron steel properties and uses
- made of carbon and silicon
- Very strong if compressed
- Brittle ( easily damaged) and not malleable ( unable to be shaped)
- Used in vices, car breaks, discs
Low carbon steel (Mild steel) properties and uses
- Strong
- Cheap
- Rusts easily, can’t be hardened
- Used in screws, bolts, nails
High carbon steel ( Tool steel)
- Harder than low carbon steel and can be hardened
- Not easy to work with
- Can rust
- Used in tools like drills, chisels, saws
What are non - ferrous metals
metals which do not contain iron, therefore do not rust - e.g.- gold, silver zinc
examples of non- ferrous metals
Aluminium Brass Copper Tin Zinc
Aluminium properties and uses
- Lightweight
- Corrosion resistant
- expensive, not as strong as steel
- good strength to weight ratio
- hard to join
- Used in ladders
Brass properties and uses
- 65% copper +35% zinc
- Strong
- Corrosion resistant
- malleable
- ductile
- used in taps, electrical parts
Copper properties and uses
- Relatively soft
- Malleable
- Ductile
- Good electrical conductor
- Used in electrical wires and pipes
Tin properties ad uses
- Soft
- Ductile
- Malleable
- Low melting point
- Corrosion resistant
- Used in foil, tin cans
Zinc properties and uses
- Not very strong
- Corrosion resistant
- Used in coating steel on nails, buckets and watering cans to prevent rusting
Examples of alloys
Brass
Stainless steel
High speed steel
High speed steel properties and uses
- contains iron, carbon and other metals including chromium, tungsten, vanadium
- keeps its hardness when heated to high temperatures
- used in high speed cutting tools that get hot when used
Stainless steel properties and uses
( iron + carbon +chromium + nickel)
- Chromium and nickel added to cast iron and mild steel to strengthen, toughen and increase ductility and decreasing rust
- Used in surgical equipment, sinks, cutlery, jewellery
