Non-ferrous metals and their alloys are actively used in industry. Of these, equipment, work tools, construction materials and materials are made. They find application 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 the metals?
At the very beginning of the study, the name “metal” also included minerals and ore; they began to separate concepts only in the 16th century. Metals are simple substances that possess certain qualities. The main characteristics are thermal conductivity and electrical conductivity, ductility, metallic luster, high ductility and strength at the same time.
In the periodic table, 94 elements are assigned to them. 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 most popular metals 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 species is often called "non-ferrous" metals. Compared to blacks, they are not so susceptible 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 physical properties and prevalence. So, there are heavy and light metals. The former include lead, tin, mercury, zinc, and the latter - magnesium, beryllium, lithium, aluminum. Titanium, vanadium, molybdenum, tungsten are characterized as refractory.
Rare and noble metals are also distinguished. Rare include tantalum, molybdenum, radium, thorium. They are not very common in the earth's crust, and their processing is difficult. Noble or precious metals do not rust at all and have a special shine. They are represented by gold, platinum, silver, ruthenium, osmium, paladium, iridium.
Processing and manufacturing
Mining and processing of non-ferrous metals requires more money than iron processing, since they are much less common. Ores usually contain up to 5% of the useful substance used in industry. Immediately after mining, the ore is enriched, separating it from waste rock to increase the metal content.
Further, it is subjected to various processes for changing sizes, shapes, qualities. The steps and processing methods depend on the purpose of the application. The production of non-ferrous metals may include casting, pressing, forging, welding, etc. To obtain certain qualities, they are mixed with each other. The most famous alloys are duralumin, babbitt, bronze, silumin, brass.
The most popular non-ferrous metals in the industry are aluminum and copper. They are produced by Russia, the USA, Italy, Germany, Japan, Australia, and the countries of Latin America. Most copper is mined by Chile. Guinea leads the world market in the production of bauxite, in lead mining - Austria, tin - Indonesia. The Republic of South Africa ranks first in gold production; silver is mined in Mexico.
The use of metals
Non-ferrous metals and their alloys are universal materials. In everyday life, we deal with them every day. They are made of door handles, pots, kettles, digital and home appliances, furniture, lamps and much more.
They are widely used in construction in the form of various parts and tools. They make wires, screws, nuts, screws, nails, make foil, various sizes of plates, ribbons, sheets and tubes.
Non-ferrous metals are suitable for the manufacture of large equipment, and therefore are used in the military industry. They are much lighter than iron, so 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 the manufacture of bullets and explosives. Lithium is needed for the production of alkaline batteries, for optics in electronics, for medical products.
Features and interesting facts
The most common metal in the earth's crust is aluminum. Among all open elements, he is the third, inferior to 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 incandescent filaments in light bulbs and picture tubes.