LEAD AND TIN, AND THEIR ALLOYS

Lead

was one of the first metals known to man. Probably the oldest lead artifact is a figure
made about 3000 BC. All civilizations, beginning with the ancient Egyptians, Assyrians,
and Babylonians, have used lead for many ornamental and structural purposes. Many
magnificent buildings erected in the 15th and 16th centuries still stand under their
original lead roofs.

Lead alloys

High density, high strength and stiffness

Storage batteries, radiation absorption

Good corrosion resistance, low melting point, ease of casting or forming

Tin
was one of the first metals known to man. Throughout ancient history, various cultures
recognized the virtues of tin in coatings, alloys and compounds, and use of the metal
increased with advancing technology. Today, tin is an important metal in industry even
though the annual tonnage used is much smaller than those of many other metals. One
reason for the small tonnage is that, in most applications, only very small amounts of tin
are used at a time.
Tin alloys
Used with lead

Solder

Bearing materials

SOME LESSER KNOWN METALS AND ALLOYS

Beryllium

Less dense than aluminum, greater stiffness than steel, transparent to x-rays

Used in nuclear reactors because of it low neutron absorption (as well as hafnium and
thorium)
Uranium

High density

Cobalt

Base metal for superalloys

Zirconium

Outstanding corrosion resistance

High strength, good weldability, fatigue resistance

Precious metals offer outstanding corrosion resistance and electrical conductivity

METALLIC GLASSES

Metallic glasses, or amorphous metals

have existed in the form of thin ribbons and fine powders since the 1960s. By cooling
liquid metal at a rate that exceeds 105 to 106 C/ second, a rigid solid is produced that
lacks crystalline structure. Since the structure also lacks the crystalline defects of grain
boundaries and dislocations, the materials exhibit extraordinary mechanical properties
(high strength, large elastic strain, good toughness, and wear resistance), unusual
magnetic behavior, and high corrosion resistance.

bulk metallic glass (BMG)

-this material with thicknesses up to several centimeters can now be produced by

conventional casting methods, such as die casting. Because the material goes from
liquid to glass, not liquid to crystalline solid, precision products can be made with a total
shrinkage that is often less than 0.5%.

GRAPHITE

Graphite

-is an engineering material with considerable potential. It offers properties of both a

metal and non-metal, including good thermal and electrical conductivity, inertness, the
ability to withstand high temperature, and lubricity. In addition, it possesses the unique
property of increasing in strength as the temperature is elevated.