alloys
Name | Composition of metals | Common uses |
|---|---|---|
Aluminium bronze | 90% copper, 10% aluminium | Marine engineering |
Manganese bronze | 95% copper, 5% manganese | Marine engineering |
Gun metal bronze | 90% copper, 10% tin | ‘Copper’ coins |
Silicon bronze | Copper with silicon and small amounts of iron, nickel, manganese | Telegraph wires |
Bell metal | Copper with 15% or more tin | Casting bells |
Red brass | 85% copper, 14% zinc, 1% tin | Plumbing |
Yellow brass | 67% copper, 33% zinc | Door handles |
Nickel silver (cupronickel) | 55% copper, 27% zinc, 18% nickel | ‘Silver’ coins |
Steel | 99% iron, 1% carbon | |
Stainless steel | Iron with 0.1-2.0% carbon, up to 27% chromium or 20% tungsten or 15% nickel and lesser amounts of other elements | Cutlery, kettles, pans, etc |
18-carat gold | 75% gold, 25% gold and copper | Jewellery |
Palladium (white gold) | 90% gold, 10% palladium | Jewellery |
Sterling silver | 92.5% silver, 7.5% copper | Jewellery |
US silver | 90% silver, 10% copper | Jewellery |
Dentist's amalgam | 70% mercury, 30% copper | Filling teeth |
Type metal | 82% lead, 15% antimony, 3% tin | Printing |
Pewter | 91% tin, 7.5% antimony, 1.5% copper | Tankards |
Solder | Lead, tin | Joining metals |