Metal Materials Guide: Types, Properties, and Uses

Properties of Metals

Metals have various properties that make them suitable for diverse applications. Here are some of the properties of metals – physical and chemical.

1. Malleability

This feature of metal makes it possible for a metal to be beaten or bent into different shapes without breaking. Its malleability is why it can be hammered flat into various sheets like aluminum foil. Metallic ions on the structure slide over one another when force is applied.

2. Ductility

Metal materials can be stretched into different shapes to make thin wires. The ductility of metal aids it in being drawn into wires to be used for cables or for soldering. A good example of a ductile metal is copper.

3. Conductivity

Metals are good conductors of heat and electricity due to free electrons on their surfaces. Also, metals like silver conduct heat perfectly and are used for materials with this effect. Copper, used in wires, also conducts electricity well.

4. Lustrousness

Some metals are naturally shiny or lustrous. The presence of free electrons on the surface of metals causes them to reflect light back. Thus, metal surfaces appear shiny or lustrous. This feature makes it easy to glaze after metal polishing or painting.

5. High Melting and Boiling Point

Metal ions and molecules are closely bound by a strong chemical force that creates a lattice structure. Thus, high heat energy is needed to break these bonds, leading to high melting and boiling points.

6. High Density

Due to the atoms and molecules being packed together, metals have high density. This feature makes them solid and firm for use in various fields.

7. Highly Reactive

Metals are highly reactive elements and combine chemically with other elements with ease. This feature helps during electroplating and anodizing as metals engage with the substrates easily. For instance, zinc reacts easily with acids, sodium reacts well with water, and many metals react well with oxygen.

What are the Categories of Metal?

Metal is categorized mainly according to their physical or chemical properties. In this section, we’ll be looking at a few categories under both of them.

Ferrous Metals

Ferrous metals are metals that contain iron (Fe) in their composition, while non-ferrous metals do not have the element. They have a high carbon content, which makes them stronger than non-ferrous metals. However, this makes them prone to rust when they come in contact with water.

Examples of ferrous metals include iron-cast iron, wrought iron, steel, alloy steel, and carbon steel. They are magnetic and therefore used for electrical purposes – they come in handy in many commercial industries like automobiles, railroad tracks, and shipping containers.

Non-Ferrous Metals

Non-ferrous metals are metals that have no iron content (Fe). Metals like aluminum, copper, brass, and zinc almost do not contain any ferric element in their composition, therefore they are called non-ferrous. They are resistant to rust as they do not easily react actively with water or oxygen, which are the elements that cause rust.

Moreover, they are not magnetic, which is why they are useful in wiring and electronic manufacturing. Non-ferrous metals are known to be malleable, which is why they are easier to shape and form than ferrous metals. They are used mostly in various commercial and industrial activities due to their high corrosion resistance, conductivity, and lightweight nature.

Comprehensive List of Metallic Elements

The metals in the periodic table are grouped according to blocks, groups, and periods. Periodic table rows indicate atomic radius, ionization energy, and electronegativity, while columns show chemical properties due to the same number of atoms. They include:

• Alkali metals
• Alkaline earth metals
• Transition metals
• Post-transition metals
• Lanthanides
• Actinides
• Noble metals
• Precious metals

Types of Metals You Need to Know

Metals have several features which make them useful in diverse industries and fields. There are more than 90 different metal types, but here are the common in the various sectors and what they are used for.

1. Iron

Iron is the most popular and inexpensive metal. The three types are pig iron, cast iron, and wrought iron. Iron makes up nearly 5% of the Earth. As a result, it is a readily available metal. However, pure iron is not a stable element because it combines with the oxygen in the air, producing iron oxide.

• Pig iron is a rudimentary form of iron that is used to make a variety of different ferrous metals, including cast iron and steel.
• Cast iron is formed by melting pig iron with coke and limestone. Cast iron is fragile and notably difficult to weld. However, it is a versatile technical material for metal casting in the automobile industry.
• Wrought iron is tough, ductile, and corrosion-resistant, wrought iron. It is a highly purified metal, used for metal fabrication in many industries.

2. Magnesium

Magnesium is one of the naturally occurring metals (Mg). However, it is often alloyed with other metals like Aluminium. That implies combining it with other metals and elements to form a hybrid material with specified features.

One of the most common applications of magnesium is in the automotive and aerospace industries. Magnesium is regarded as a step higher than aluminum in terms of high-strength weight reduction. Applications include wheel rims, engine blocks, and gearbox casings.

3. Steel

Steel is an alloy composed of numerous chemical elements, including iron and carbon, to form a strong and fracture-resistant metal. Its high tensile strength and inexpensive cost make it the most commonly used material for a wide range of products, including buildings, weaponry, medical implants, and machines, as well as electrical equipment and various instruments.

There are 3 kinds of steel, carbon steel, stainless steel, and alloy steel. These all have different steel grades.

4. Aluminum

Aluminum is a light metal that hardens and stiffens when it is combined in trace amounts with other alloys. The strength, electrical conductivity, and corrosion resistance of aluminum make it great for applications in several industries.

Besides, aluminum does not magnetize and is simple to manufacture. It is widely utilized for aircraft, car parts, and overhead wires. Also, it is appealing to the eye due to its shiny nature and can be used in sheet metal fabrication and the production of aluminum alloys.

5. Copper

Copper is a malleable, flexible, and ductile reddish-brown metal. It has strong electrical conductivity and may be rolled, forged, cast, and pulled into wires. It is widely utilized for coinage, wire, and kitchenware. Many copper varieties serve different purposes in diverse industries.

6. Titanium

Titanium is an essential lightweight metal used in the production of various aircraft equipment. It is one of the most corrosion-resistant metals. The metal sample has good heat stability even in extreme heat conditions, which is why the aerospace industry records the highest titanium use. It is resistant to corrosion, which makes it suitable for the manufacture of medical equipment.

7. Bronze

Bronze is a metal alloy obtained from a combination of metal samples like copper and tin or aluminum. It is solid and does not rust or corrode when exposed to moisture, which is why it is preferred for sculpting or turbine blades. It melts easily and can be formed into pipes, gears, pumps, and wires.

8. Brass

Brass is a zinc and copper alloy. It is classified into numerous varieties based on the copper-to-zinc ratio and the addition of minor amounts of additional elements. Brass is more durable than copper but has lesser conductivity to electricity and heat. It is also very resistant to air corrosion and can be soldered with ease. Brass is mostly used to produce locks and valves.

9. Lead

Lead is one of the heaviest metals on earth and has a low melting point. It is easily malleable and soft, which makes it simple to cut. Thanks to its softness, lead is used in soldering and to line water pipes and acid tanks. It is also used in coating electric cables and producing bullets.

10. Tungsten

Tungsten has the highest melting and boiling point on earth and can withstand the most adverse heat treatment of metals. This makes it useful for cutting other metals when processed into tungsten carbide. Tungsten also has the greatest tensile metal strength among pure metals and is used in metal engraving or cutting. It combines with other metals to make rocket nozzles withstand extreme temperatures.

11. Zinc

Zinc is mainly used to coat other metals as it has high resistance to corrosion and wear. Due to its low electrochemical potential, it does not rust, making it essential in manufacturing pipelines, and die metal casting for electrical hardware, and tanks.

12. Tin

Tin is a soft metal and is easily malleable. It is mostly used to make alloy metals like bronze and is the basic component for making pewter.

13. Nickel

Used commonly to make stainless steel, nickel is one of the most used for metal plating. It increases the strength and corrosion resistance of the metal surface finish. Nickel is one of the most used metals in electroplating.

14. Chromium

Another potent electroplating metal, chromium, improves the metal hardness of other elements and can also enhance surface finishing. It is hard like carbon and has a high melting point.

15. Silicon

Silicon is one of the most popular non-ferrous metals as it has qualities of both metals and nonmetals. Silicon helps other metals to improve their features and is a good alloying material. It has a high melting point and is not a good heat conductor.

16. Cobalt

Cobalt is popularly used to make blue pigment for paints and dyes. These days, wear-resistant, high-strength steel alloys are the main uses for it. Cobalt is essentially a byproduct of the mining of copper and nickel and is rarely produced on its own.

17. Lithium

This metal is mostly used to improve the appearance of glass and ceramics due to its silvery white luster. It is a known soft metal with poor conductivity.

18. Gold

Gold is an expensive metal that has been used for ages to create jewelry, coins, and other decorations. It is uncommon, soft, flexible, and does not corrode in the atmosphere. In addition, it conducts electricity well and is solid at room temperature, dense, resistant to corrosion, and easily malleable.

19. Silver

Just like gold, silver is a precious metal and is used mostly for ornaments and adorning pieces due to its luster. It is a soft, malleable metal and is resistant to atmospheric corrosion. It conducts electricity and heat properly.

20. Beryllium

Beryllium is a silvery-white soft metal with a low density, high rigidity, high strength, structural stability, and reflectivity. It is distinguished among metals in terms of specific rigidity. Beryllium has the second-lowest density compared to metals.

Applications of Metal in Various Industries

The universal use of metals makes it a stable component for the manufacturing of most industry parts. Here are the metal applications for various industries.

Medical Industry

Apart from being components of drugs edible metals (sodium, manganese, and potassium) are used in medicine for various purposes. Titanium is used for medical equipment like prosthetic limbs, while aluminum is used for implants thanks to its strength-to-weight ratio.

Automobile and Machinery Industry

Metals are most typically utilized in equipment, refractory products, and cars. They are employed in the production of automobiles, trains, airplanes, rockets, and so on. The most prevalent metals utilized here are iron, aluminum, and steel.

Decorative Products

Platinum, gold, and silver are precious metals with significant economic worth and are commonly used in jewelry sets and decorative pieces.

Construction Industry

Metals like iron and steel are among the most widely utilized materials in the construction of structures and dwellings. They are also metals utilized in architectural applications. Water pipes and roofing are made from metals such as lead. Tin, zinc, copper, and aluminum are used in roofing. Iron is known for its structural properties and is utilized in the form of cast iron, wrought iron, or steel.

Aerospace

Some metals are used in the aerospace industry because of their amazing properties. A good metal used in aerospace should have such characteristics as radiation resistance, the ability to withstand corrosion, and a high ratio of strength to weight. Examples of metals used in this industry are Aluminum for airframe structures, nickel alloys combined with steel, and titanium for engine parts.

Electronic Industry

Because of their excellent electrical conductivity, alloys containing gold, silver, and platinum are popular candidates for electronic connections.