4.

2a - Metals & Metallic Alloys

Extracting Metal from Ore

Metals are extracted from their ores, due to most metals not existing 100% purely in the natural world. The methods
on how metals are extracted vary from their ores in which they are found. This has to with the reactivity of the metal.

e.g.
● a very reactive metal such as Aluminium is extracted by electrolysis, which can be quite expensive due to
all the energy needed to be able to extract the metal. - in case of aluminium the ore extracted is called
bauxite

● A less-reactive metal such as Iron for instance can be extracted more easily through a process known as
reduction, specifically for iron is it a reduction with carbon or carbon monoxide.

There are different ways of extracting metal from ore, here are two ways:

Extracting iron from iron ore using a Blast

Furnace
● Most common ores are both iron oxides
● Iron oxides can be reduced to just iron by heating them with
carbon (in form of coke)
● Coke is produced by heating coal with the absence of air
● Coke is cheap
● Coke provides the reducing agent for both the reaction and
the heat source
● Most common iron ores used: Hematite (Fe2O3) and
Magnetite (Fe3O4)

On a more industrial scale...

Blast Furnace Method:

● Most common aluminium ore is bauxite

● Bauxite is plentiful and can occur mainly in tropical and
subtropical areas, such as Australia, South America,
Africa and West Indies.
● There are some deposits in Europe
4.2a - Metals & Metallic Alloys

● Bauxite is refined into Aluminium oxide trihydrate (also known as Alumina) through electrolytically reduction
into metallic aluminium.

Metallic Grain Size:

● Most metals are crystalline in structure. (made up of separate crystals)
● A grain boundary is the border between two grains, or crystallites.
● Grains can be changed when a metal is processed or turned into an alloy.
● Each of the individual grains can vary in size. Depending on- the size of the grain the metal will have
different physical properties.
● If the grain is heated then slowly cooled the metal with contain larger grains and if the metal is heated then
quickly cooled it will have smaller grains.
● metals with smaller grains are more malleable because there are more grain boundaries so it can bend
easier without breaking.
● Metals with has a large grain will break easier because the grain boundaries are longer and diverge in many
different directions making it harder to bend so it just breaks.
● Each metals have different grains and therefore there are many different uses.

Modifying Physical Properties

Alloying:
● Mixing and combining metal and non-metal to enhance the mechanical or physical properties of the original
material.
● Alloying reduces malleability and ductility, of alloys compared to pure metals.
● This is due to the presence of “foreign” atoms which interfere with the movements of atoms in the crystals
during plastic deformation
● Grain boundaries prevent defects progressing through the material
● Effects of impurities in a pure metal can induce a large number of fine grains which gives a stronger and
harder metal than a larger grain structure
4.2a - Metals & Metallic Alloys

Alloying

Work Hardening (Also known as strain hardening or cold working):

- Work hardening is the strengthening of a metal through plastic deformation which is the strengthening of a
metal by changing its shape.
- Cold working is the process of strengthening a metal without the use of heat.
- The process gets its name because it is conducted at temperatures below the metal's recrystallization point
and mechanical stress, not heat, is used to affect change.
- Different methods of work hardening are used depending on the type of metal which is to be hardened.

Methods of work hardening:

- Cold rolling (most common): Involves the metal being passed through metal rollers to decrease its’ thickness
or to create a uniform thickness. As the metal moves through the rollers it is compressed and the metal
grains are deformed. Examples would be steel sheets, strips or bars and rods.

-
- Bending: Involves the deforming of a metal over an axis which then creates a change in the metals
geometry. An example would be the bending of car parts to suit the manufacturer.
4.2a - Metals & Metallic Alloys

- Drawing: Involves the pulling of the metal through a small hole or die thus reducing the diameter of a metal
rod or wire while increasing the product's length. Compression is used to force the raw metal into the die to
ensure that recrystallization occurs as the shape of the metal changes. Examples would be steel bars or
aluminium rods.

Tempering:
● Improving the characteristics of metal by heating it to a high temperature than cooling it
● This causes it to toughen up due to reducing hardness , lessing brittleness and reducing internal stress

tempering

Superalloys (Design Criteria)

- Superalloy is an alloy that shows a strong amount of mechanical strength, resistance to thermal creep
deformation, good surface stability and resistance to damaged/destroyed.
- Superalloys can be used at very high temperatures. The strength of most metal decreases as the
temperature increases.
- Superalloys are used in aerospace (rockets), aviation (turbines) , chemical processing industry, nuclear
reactors etc.
- Two types of superalloys
- Creep
4.2a - Metals & Metallic Alloys

- Creep are the metals that have a tendency to move slowly or deform permanently,
because of the long term exposure of stress that are below the yield strength or ultimate
strength of the mental
- Creep is more weaker when metals are near the melting point heat for a long period of
time
- Oxidation Resistance
- Oxidation is the interaction between oxygen and different substance when they make
contact (rust)
- Oxidation resistance is the ability of a material to resist the direct and indirect contact of
oxygen

Disposal & Recovery of Metals & Metallic Alloys

The recovery and disposal or recycling of metals and metallics alloys is now an important part of the material life
cycle . It is often defined as the series of activities, including collection, separation, and processing, by which products
or other materials are recovered from the solid waste for use in the form of raw materials in the manufacture of new
products

● Metals & metallic alloys are easily recyclable

● They can be indefinitely recycled
● It can reduce the emissions and the effect on the environment
● Reduce energy required to produce new metals

Design for Disassembly:

It can make it easier for your product to be repaired or upgraded, thereby prolonging its useful life. It can also help
ensure your product is recycled and enable whole components to be reused.

Designing for disassembly involves some straightforward tactics. For example:

● The fewer parts you use, the fewer parts there are to take apart.
● As with parts, the fewer fasteners you use, the better.
● Common and similar fasteners that require only a few standard tools will help to simplify and speed
disassembly.
● Screws are faster to unfasten than nuts and bolts.
● Glues should be avoided.
● Building disassembly instructions into the product will help users understand how to take it apart.
4.2a - Metals & Metallic Alloys

Example Metals, Categories & Properties Table

Ferrous metals: contain iron.

Name and melting Properties and characteristics Principal uses

point

Cast iron -hard skin but softer underneath Made by casting

1200 °C -brittle
-corrodes by rusting

Mild steel -tough, ductile,malleable Engineering materials

1600°C -good tensile strength
-easy to get corrosions

High carbon steel -harder than medium carbon steel Cutting tools
1800°C -more brittle Ball bearings
-heat treated to become harder and tougher

Stainless steel -hard and tough Cutlery

1400°C -resistance to wear and corrosion Kitchen equipment

Non-ferrous metals:do not contain iron.

-

Name and melting composition Properties and characteristics Principal uses

point

Aluminium Pure aluminium -good strength to weight ratio Kitchen equipment

660°C -light, soft, ductile Windows frames
-good conductor of heat and electricity General cast

Copper Pure copper -malleable and ductile Water pipes

1080°C -good conductor of heat and electricity Electrical wire
-resistance to corrosion Decorative goods

Brass Alloy -resistance to corrosion Ornaments

900-1000°C -fairly hard Water taps
-good conductor of heat and electricity