Metals are used in many areas of our lives. They are used in industry, design, in everyday life, in jewelry, construction, medicine. At the same time, malleability is one of the most important characteristics that determines the ability of metals to withstand processing. What does it depend on? How is it manifested? Let's find out.
Durability - a property of metals
Most often, malleability is considered precisely in the context of metals, since it is with them that it manifests itself better than with other materials and substances. First of all, this is due to their internal structure. It is due to the fact that their atoms can change position in their crystal lattices, overcoming only a small resistance.
So what is malleability? This is the ability of materials to undergo mechanical stress and change their shape without breaking or breaking. It is close to plasticity and is the exact opposite of the fragility of substances.
As fluidity, abrasion and viscosity, ductility is a technological characteristic. Using it, you can determine how metal or alloy is suitable for a particular type of impact, and in which area they can be applied. First of all, ductility is necessary when processing materials by pressure or using a large force, for example, during forging, stamping, pressing, rolling.
What does it depend on?
Malleability is very dependent on the degree, speed, uniformity of deformation, as well as the temperature at which it occurs. The main factors affecting malleability are the nature of the metals and alloys themselves, their composition, purity, internal structure and ability to conduct heat.
The most malleable metals are copper, gold and silver. This property is also characteristic of titanium, tin, brass, magnesium, bronze and aluminum alloys. Steel works well, but carbon impurities make it harder. Therefore, the more of them, the less plastic it is. The same can be said about chrome. In its pure form, it has good ductility, but becomes brittle from impurities of hydrogen, nitrogen, carbon or oxygen.