2024 Author: Howard Calhoun | [email protected]. Last modified: 2023-12-17 10:16
Non-ferrous metals and their alloys are widely used in industry. They are used to make machinery, working tools, construction materials and materials. They are used even in art, for example, for the construction of monuments and sculptures. What are non-ferrous metals? What features do they have? Let's find out.
What are metals?
At the very beginning of the study, the name "metal" also included minerals and ore, the concepts began to be separated only in the 16th century. Metals are simple substances that have certain properties. The main characteristics are thermal and electrical conductivity, malleability, metallic luster, high ductility and strength at the same time.
In the periodic table they include 94 elements. According to their chemical properties, they are divided into alkaline, transitional, light, lanthanides, actinides, semimetals, etc. Under normal conditions, they are all initially in a solid state.
One of the mostA popular metal to use is iron. Alloys containing iron are called ferrous metals; in industry, they occupy a separate niche in metallurgy. These include alloys such as cast iron and steel. Ferrous metals are sometimes referred to as chromium and manganese. The rest are colored.
Non-ferrous metals
This type is often referred to as "non-ferrous" metals. Compared to black, they are not as much subject to wear, have high resistance and fire resistance. Non-ferrous metals are more ductile and easy to process. They can form acid-resistant alloys.
They are divided into several groups, depending on the physical properties and prevalence. So, there are heavy and light metals. Lead, tin, mercury, zinc belong to the first, magnesium, beryllium, lithium, aluminum belong to the second. Titanium, vanadium, molybdenum, tungsten are characterized as refractory.
Rare and precious metals are also isolated. Rare ones include tantalum, molybdenum, radium, and thorium. They are not very common in the earth's crust, and their processing is difficult. Noble or precious metals absolutely do not rust and have a special luster. They are represented by gold, platinum, silver, ruthenium, osmium, palladium, iridium.
Processing and production
The mining and processing of non-ferrous metals is more expensive than the processing of iron, as they are much rarer. Ores usually contain up to 5% of a useful substance that is used in industry. Immediately after mining, the ore is enriched,separating it from waste rock to increase the metal content.
Next, it is subjected to various processes to change the size, shape, quality. The processing steps and methods depend on the purpose of the application. The production of non-ferrous metals may include casting, pressing, forging, welding, etc. They are mixed together to obtain certain qualities. The most famous alloys are duralumin, babbitt, bronze, silumin, brass.
The most demanded non-ferrous metals in industry are aluminum and copper. They are produced by Russia, USA, Italy, Germany, Japan, Australia, Latin American countries. Chile produces the most copper. In the world market, Guinea leads in the production of bauxite, in the extraction of lead - Austria, tin - Indonesia. The Republic of South Africa ranks first in the production of gold, silver is mined in Mexico.
Use of metals
Non-ferrous metals and their alloys are universal materials. In everyday life, we deal with them every day. Door handles, pots, kettles, digital and household appliances, furniture, lamps and more are made from them.
They are widely used in construction in the form of various parts and tools. They are used to make wires, screws, nuts, screws, nails, foil, various sizes of plates, tapes, sheets and tubes.
Non-ferrous metals are suitable for the manufacture of large equipment, therefore they are used in the military industry. They are much lighteriron, therefore, they are used where strength and lightness are needed at the same time, for example, for cars, ships, submarines, aircraft.
Copper is used in architecture, in the manufacture of pipelines. For strength, it is added to gold in the manufacture of jewelry. Lead is added to paints, it is used for cables, for making bullets and explosives. Lithium is needed for the production of alkaline batteries, for optics in radio electronics, for medical products.
Features and interesting facts
The most common metal in the earth's crust is aluminum. Among all the discovered elements, it is the third, behind oxygen and silicon. In contrast, there is the rarest metal in nature, rhenium, named after the German river Rhine.
The lightest is lithium. It has a low density, so it floats even in kerosene. Lithium is toxic and causes skin burns and irritation. It is stored in special flasks with mineral oil or paraffin.
Tungsten is considered the most refractory. It can melt at temperatures above 3422 degrees Celsius, boil - at 5555 degrees. Due to this feature, it is used for the filament in electric light bulbs and kinescopes.
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