PROPERTIES FERROUS METAL NON-FERROUS METAL

METAL CAST IRON WROUGHT IRON MILD STEEL ALUMINIUM COPPER BRASS
1) Occurrence Pig iron obtained from iron Pig iron obtained Alloy of carbon and Occurs in abundance It occurs in native form Alloy of copper and
or scrap recycling. from iron or scrap iron with trace on surface of earth. and also as ores oxide, zinc.
recycling. number of But not in free state. In carbonate sulphide Zinc Occurs in
impurities such as the form of oxides, ores. compound form.
silicon, manganese, sulphates, silicates,
phosphorous phosphates.
commercially
produced from bauxite
2) Manufacturing Remelting pig iron in blast Made by smelting Manufactured from Bayer process: refining Impurities removed by Manufactured by
furnace known as Cupola pig iron and pig iron and coal bauxite ore to get flotation and then by cementation process.
furnace oxidising with iron using Bessemer aluminium oxide and oxidation in a zinc and copper heated
oxide to remove all process or open- hall Heroult process of converter. together until zinc
the carbon and hearth process smelting aluminium Then metal is refined vapours react with
other impurities in a Melted together. oxide to get pure in a furnace or metallic copper in a
Reverberatory aluminium electrolytically solid state
furnace
3) Structure Crystalline fibrous and Fibrous structure Fibrous structure Face centred cubic Crystalline structure. Crystalline structure.
granular. crystal structure
4) Strength Strong in compression Strong in tension Strong in tension Great toughness and Tough material Not hard as steel
weak in tension weak in weak in tensile strength
compression compression
5) Strength unit Compressive = 600 Compressive = 200 Compressive = 475 ---------------------- --------------------- -------------------
(N/sq.mm) tensile strength =150 tensile strength tensile strength
=400 =600
6) malleable/ductile Neither Ductile and nor Ductile and Ductile and Highly ductile and Highly ductile and Highly ductile and
malleable malleable malleable malleable and very malleable malleable
light in weight.
7) melting point 1200 1500 1400 660 1083 932
(Degree Celsius)
8) specific gravity 7.5 7.25 7.8 2.6 8.92 8.4

9) Forging and Unsuitable for forging Easily forged and Easily forged and Easily forged and Welded only at red Easily forged and
welding Cannot be welded welded welded welded, riveted, heat welded. Weld via arch
brazed welding
10) Hardening and Heating and sudden It is soft and cannot It cannot easily Low surface hardness It is tough Heating and cooling
tempering cooling can be hardened hardened or harden or tempered can be hardened but
but cannot be tempered tempered can be tempered
11) Corrosion Corrosion resistant Corrosion resistant Corrosion resistant Highly Corrosion Corrosion resistant Corrosion resistant
not effective resistant
12) Magnetising Can easily magnetised Magnetised but Can permanently Nonmagnetic Nonmagnetic Nonmagnetic
temporary only magnetised substance substance substance
13) Toughness and Less tough and elastic than Tougher and more Tougher and more Great toughness It is tough Quite elastic
elasticity wrought iron elastic than cast iron elastic than wrought
iron
14) Casting Suitable for making casting Cannot used for -------------------------- ----------------------------- ------------------------------ ------------------------------
making casting
15) Others Soft in salt water, brittle, Resist salt water Pure iron containing Dissolves in hydraulic Good conductor of Low melting point
hard better than cast iron carbon content acid, rarely attached to heat and electricity. Good conductor of
water, Forms alloy with other heat
forms useful alloy with metal
iron copper zinc
16) Use 1. pipes, mains, manhole 1. Articles 1. All kinds of 1. Roofing, window 1. Electrical cables, 1. Pipes and tubes
covers, rain water withstand structural work frame and wires 2. Weather stripping
pipes, sanitary sudden loads for building and handles, doors, 2. Tubing for hot and 3. Screws
fittings. like chains, bridges tower bolt cold-water supply 4. Radiators
2. Base of columns, crane hooks, 2. Rolled 2. Domes, movable 3. Sheet for DPC 5. Electrical plugs and
railings, spiral stair rivets, nails structural steel bridges, girders Roofing sockets
3. Fire grating, brackets 2. Electrical sections such as 3. Electrical cables, 4. Constituents of 6. plumbing, valves
4. Ornamental casting of instruments angle, sections, wires brass and another 7. nuts, bolts
gate lamp post 3. Plain and channel section 4. Reducing agent in alloy 8. door handles
5. Manufacturing of corrugated G.I. and T sections, I oxidising molten 5. Dowels in masonry
wrought iron and sheet joist and other iron and steel
steel 4. Ornamental sections. 5. Making of paint
works 3. Bars, rods for 6. Solar panel,
5. Grills, fences, reinforcement roofing, chimney
window guards, 4. bolts, rives, wire 7. Facades, fencing,
gratings ropes, tubes panels
5. transmission
lines