Types of Heavy weight Non-ferrous Metals

Types of Heavy Weight Metals:

Copper (Cu):

 Copper

It is probably the primary engineering metal to be used. Unlike other metals, it can occur in nature within the metallic form also as an ore. It has excellent heat and electrical conductivity and resists to corrosion when alloyed with other metals. However, thanks to lower density, aluminum has higher conductivity per unit weight.

Zinc (Zn):

 Zinc

Zinc is an inexpensive material with moderate strength. It is chemically similar to magnesium. Mechanically zinc is more ductile but not as strong.

Although its metal and alloy forms are important, zinc is most commonly used to extend the life of other materials such as steel (galvanizing), rubber and plastic (as an aging inhibitor), and wood (in paint coatings). The zinc-base alloys have an important place as a die-casting metal as it has low melting point (419.5 ºC) which does not affect steel dies adversely, and hence it can be made into alloys with good strength properties and dimensional stability.

Tin (Sn):

 Tin

As with many metals, pure tin is just too weak to be used alone for many mechanical applications. It is often alloyed with elements like copper, antimony, lead, aluminum and zinc to enhance mechanical or physical properties. It is commonly used as a coating for other metals like tin cans, copper cooking utensils. Other applications include die-casting alloys, pewter chemicals, bronze, bearing alloys and solder.

Lead (Pb):

 Lead

Lead may be a versatile material thanks to special properties of high relative atomic mass and density, softness, ductility, low strength, low melting point, corrosion resistance and skill to lubricate. On the down side, toxicity is one of the chief disadvantages. There are two principal grades: chemical lead and customary lead. Typical uses include chemical apparatus, batteries, and cable sheathing. For corrosion resistance and X-ray and Gamma-ray shielding, pure lead gives best performance. Lead is alloyed with tin and antimony to make a series of useful alloys employed for his or her low melting points. Solder is that the alloy of lead and tin containing bit of antimony and silver. The solders are mainly used in soldering electronic circuits due to their lower melting points.