{"id":3950,"date":"2019-07-24T18:24:59","date_gmt":"2019-07-24T15:24:59","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/?p=3950"},"modified":"2024-08-26T16:59:00","modified_gmt":"2024-08-26T13:59:00","slug":"types-of-metal","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/fractory.com\/types-of-metal\/","title":{"rendered":"Types of Metal – Pure Metals, Alloys & Their Applications"},"content":{"rendered":"

Metals and advances in manufacturing processes gave us the industrial revolution. This lead to the exponential growth of human civilisation bringing us where we are today. Today, different types of metals are all around us. From the computer you are using to read this information onto the clamps in your plumbing. More than eighty different types of metals find use today.<\/p>\n

Types of Metal and Their Classification<\/h2>\n

A large number of metals are available in nature. They can be classified in a variety of ways depending on what property or characteristic you use as a yardstick.<\/p>\n

Classification by Iron Content<\/h3>\n

The most common way of classifying them is by their iron content.<\/p>\n

When a metal contains iron, it is known as a ferrous metal<\/a>. The iron imparts magnetic properties to the material and also makes them prone to corrosion. Metals that do not have any iron content are non-ferrous metals. These metals do not possess any magnetic properties. Examples include but are not limited to aluminium, lead, brass, copper and zinc.<\/p>\n

\"Periodic
Periodic Table<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

Classification by Atomic Structure<\/h3>\n

They may also be classified based on their atomic structure according to the periodic table. When done, a metal may be known as alkaline, alkaline earth, or a transition metal. Metals belonging to the same group behave similarly when reacting with other elements. Thus, they have similar chemical properties.<\/p>\n

Magnetic and Non-Magnetic Metals<\/h3>\n

Another way to differentiate metals is by looking how they interact with magnets. It is possible to divide metals as magnetic and non-magnetic on that basis<\/a>.<\/p>\n

While ferromagnetic metals attract strongly to magnets, paramagnetic ones only show weak interactions. Lastly, there is a group called diamagnetic metals that rather show a weak repulsion to magnets.<\/p>\n

Iron, Its Alloys and Their Properties<\/h2>\n

All the metals share some similar mechanical properties of materials<\/a>. But when judged closely, one metal will have a slight edge over another in certain properties. It is possible to tweak the properties when creating alloys by mixing pure elements.<\/p>\n

When selecting a metal for a particular application, there’s quite a few factors to consider to find the most suitable option. These factors include melting point, cost, ease of machining, sufficient safety factor, space available, temperature coefficient, thermal and electrical conductivity, density, etc. Let us take a look at some of the popular metals and why they are chosen for their applications.<\/p>\n

Iron<\/h3>\n
\"Wrought
The Eiffel Tower is made of wrought iron<\/figcaption><\/figure>\n

It would not be an exaggeration to refer to iron as the lifeblood of our civilisation. Approximately 5 per cent of the Earth\u2019s crust is iron<\/a>. Thus, it is an incredibly easy metal to find. Pure iron is an unstable element though. At the first opportunity, it reacts with the oxygen in the air to form iron oxide.<\/p>\n

Extracting iron from its ores uses a blast furnace. Pig iron is achieved from the first stage of the blast furnace which can be further refined to obtain pure iron. This iron often ends up in steels and other alloys.\u00a0Almost 90 per cent of manufactured metals are ferrous metals.<\/p>\n

Steel, for instance, is a ferrous metal that finds a variety of applications. We cannot comprehend the true potential of iron without learning about steel.<\/p>\n

Steel<\/h3>\n

Pure iron is stronger than other metals but it leaves much to be desired. For one, pure iron is not resistant to corrosion. To keep iron from corroding, a lot of money and energy must be spent. Secondly, it is also extremely heavy due to its high density. These disadvantages can make structures harder to build and maintain.<\/p>\n

Adding carbon to iron alleviates these weaknesses to a certain extent. This mixture of iron and carbon up to specified limits is known as carbon steel. Adding carbon to iron makes the iron much stronger along with imparting other great characteristics.<\/p>\n

Other elements may be added in trace amounts to incorporate their properties. Let\u2019s take a look at how to categorise steel and what it is capable of.<\/p>\n

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