NON FERROUS METALS

AND THEIR ALLOYS

WHAT IS A METAL?

A metal is a solid material (an element, compound, or alloy) that is typically hard, opaque, shiny, and
features good electrical and thermal conductivity. Metals are generally malleable, fusible and ductile .

Currently, 91 out of the 118 total elements on the periodic table are classified as metals.

Metals are broadly classified as Ferrous and Non-Ferrous

What is Ferrous Metals?

Outside of chemistry, ferrous is an adjective used to indicate the presence of iron. The word is derived
from the Latin word ferrum ("iron"). Ferrous metals include steel and pig iron (with a carbon content of
a few percent) and alloys of iron with other metals (such as stainless steel). EXAMPLES: Mild Steel
Carbon steel Stainless Steel Cast Iron Wrought Iron

WHAT IS NON FERROUS METALS?

Anon-ferrous metal is any metal, including alloys, that does not contain iron in appreciable amounts.
They are generally more expensive than ferrous metals Non-ferrous metals are used because of
desirable properties such as low weight (e.g., aluminium), higher conductivity (e.g., copper), non-
magnetic property resistance to corrosion (e.g., zinc).

EXAMPLES OF NON FERROUS METALS Important non-ferrous metals include aluminium, copper, lead,
nickel, tin, titanium, zinc, Precious metals such as gold silver platinum Exotic or rare metals such as
cobalt mercury tungsten beryllium bismuth cerium

Some Non-Ferrous Metal

• Classification of materials:

• In addition, the heat treat ability of an alloy system is mentioned frequently heat treatable designates
an alloy whose mechanical strength is improved by precipitation hardening etc. • Non-ferrous
metals/alloy are not iron-based. • The more common non-ferrous materials are the following metallic
element and their alloys. 1. Copper 2. Aluminum 3. Magnesium 4. Lead 5. Nickel 6. Tin 7. Zinc 8. Cobalt
etc.

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• Copper: • The main grades of raw copper used for cast copper base alloy are: 1. High conductivity
copper having not less than 99.9% Cu. The oxygen content may be of the order 0.40% .Pb And Fe less
than 0.005% each. Ag 0.002% and Bi less than 0.001%. Electrolytic copper is used for electrical purposes.
2. Deoxidized copper having not less than 99.85% Cu, less than 0.05% As, 0.03% Fe, and 0.003% Bi other
elements may be of the order of 0.05% P, 0.01% Pb, 0.10% Ni, 0.003% and 0.005% Ag and Sb
respectively. 3. Arsenical de-oxidized copper having 0.4% As, 0.04% P and remaining copper. It is used
for welded vessels and tanks. 4. Arsenical touch pitch copper containing 0.4% As, 0.065% oxygen, 0.02%
Pb, 0.15% Ni, 0.006% Ag, 0.01% Sb and less than 0.005% Bi, less than 0.020% fe, and remaining copper.
5. Oxygen free copper contains 0.005% Pb, 0.001% Ni, 0.001% Ag and less than 0.0005% and 0.001% Fe,
and Bi respectively. It is melted and cast in non-oxidizing atmosphere.

• Copper possesses following properties: – Excellent resistance to corrosion. – Non-magnetic properties

• Copper is used for the following: – Electrical parts – Heat exchangers’ – Screw machine products – For
making various copper alloy, such as brass and bronze – Household utensils, etc.

• Copper Alloys: – Copper normally possess excellent corrosion resistance electrical and thermal
conductivities and formability. – Some copper alloys combine high strength and corrosion resistance, a
combination desirable for marine applications. – Some copper alloys because of their wearing
properties, high hardness or corrosion resistance are used as surfacing metals. – Some copper alloys are
selected for decorative applications because of appearance. – Elements such as aluminum, zinc, tin,
beryllium, nickel, silicon, lead etc. form alloys with copper. – Copper alloys may be classified as: 1.
Brasses – Alloys of copper and zinc 2. Bronze – up to 12% of alloying element 3. Cupronickels – alloy of
copper and nickel 4. Nickel silvers – alloy of copper, nickel and zinc.

• BRASSES: – Brasses contain zinc as the principle alloying element. – Brasses are sub-divided into three
groups. • cu-zn allos • cu, pb-zn alloys or leaded brass, • cu-zn-sn alloys or tin brass – Brass has high
resistance to corrosion and is easily machinable. It also acts as good bearing material. – Zinc in the brass
increases ductility along with strength. – Brass possesses greater strength than copper however it has a
lower thermal and electrical conductivity. – Various types of brasses are discussed below. (1) Gilding
Metal (2) Cartridge Brass (3) Admiralty Brass

(4) Aluminum Brass (5) Basis Brass (6) Muntz metal or yellow metal

(7) Leaded 60:40 brass (8) Naval brass

• Gilding Metal: • The gilding metals cover a range from 5% to 15% Zn. And possess shades of color
from the red of copper to a brassy yellow. • Cartridge Brass: – Normally contains 70% Cu and 30% Zn. In
the fully annealed condition it has a tensile strength of over 300 N/mm2 • Admiralty Brass: – Admiralty
brass contains Cu 71%, Zn 28% and Sn 1%. The small amount of tin added to brass improves its

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resistance to certain types of corrosion. • Aluminum Brass: – It contains 76% Cu, 22% Zn and 2% Al a
little arsenic is added to inhibit dezincification. • Basis Brass: – It contains copper 61.5 – 64%, the
remainder being Zinc. – Basis brass is used for press work where a relatively cheap material is required
and the main commercial forms are sheet, strip, and wire.

• Muntz metal or yellow metal: – It contains 60% of copper and 40% of zinc and is essentially a hot
working material. – It is manufactured in the form of hot rolled plate and hot rolled or extruded section
in a great variety of shapes and sizes. Yellow metal is frequently used as a brazing alloy for steel. •
Leaded 60:40 brass: – It the chief material fed to automatic lathes and similar machines. Usually in the
form of extruded bar. – Lead is added to Cu-Zn alloy to promote machinability. The lead content ranges
from about 0.5% to as much as 3.5%. • Naval brass: – It contains Cu 60%, Zn 39.25% and Sn 0.75%. The
purpose of tin is to improve the resistance to corrosion.

• Bronzes: – Bronze is a broad term defining an alloy of copper and elements other than nickel or Zinc. –
Bronze is basically an alloy of copper and tin. Bronze possesses superior mechanical properties and
corrosion resistance than brass. Bronze is comparatively hard and it resists surface wear. – Bronze can
be shaped or rolled in to wire rod and sheets. – Different types of bronze are: (1) Phosphor bronze: –
The most important copper-tin alloys are those which have been deoxidized with phosphorus during the
refining process and hence are known as phosphor bronze. – The amount of residual phosphorus may
range from a trace to about 0.35% or even higher in some special grades.

– The excess phosphorus, which exists in solid solution, materially increases the hardness and strength
of the alloy, but it does so at the expense of ductility. – In amounts greater than 1.0% phosphorus
causes excessive brittleness and impairs surface appearance but affords a good bearing surface, as is
evident by the use of high phosphorus bronze compositions for gears and other machine parts subject
to wear. – A phosphorus bronze containing approximately 4% each of tin, lead and zinc has excellent
free cutting characteristics. – Standard phosphor bronze for bearing applications contains 90% Cu, 10%
Sn, and 0.5% P, in sand cast condition it has a tensile strength of 220-280 N/mm2 and % elongation 3 to
8 %. – Phosphor bronze for gears contains 88% Cu, 12% Sn, 0.3% Zn, 0.50% Pb and 0.15 P. in sand cast
condition, it has a tensile strength of 220-310 N/mm2 and 5-15% elongation. This alloy is also utilized for
general bearings, where its rigidity of advantages.

(2) Aluminum bronze: – Have the following compositions: Cu Al Fe Sn Mn0.1 89 7 3.5 0.35 91 6.8 1.5-3.5
- 1 (max) – Aluminum bronzes possess the following properties good strength high corrosion resistance
good heat resistance good cold working properties. – Aluminum bronze finds the following uses: –
Bearings, gears, slide valves, imitations jewellery, valve seat, propellers, cams, pump part etc.

(3) Silicon bronze: – Have the following compositions: Si 1 – 4% Fe 0.5 – 1.0% Mn 0.25 – 1.25% Cu
Balance. – Lead when added as 0.5% improves machine ability. – Silicon bronzes posses high strength
and toughness as that of mild steel and corrosion resistance as that of copper. – Silicon bronzes find the
following uses. – Bearings, roll mill sleepers, turntable bushing marine hardware, ways and gibs, screw
down nuts, boiler parts, Die cast parts etc.

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• Gun Metal: – Gun metal is an alloy of copper, tin and Zinc. – Zinc cleans the metal and increases its
fluidity – A small amount of lead may be added to improve castability and machiability.

(1) Admirality gun-metal: – It contains 10% Sn, 2% Zn, 1.5% max pb, 1.5% max Ni, and balance Cu, it has
tensile strength of 260-340 N/mm2. It is widely used for pumps, valves and miscellaneous casting and is
also used for statuary.

(2) Nickel gun-metal: – It contains 7% Sn, 2.25% Zn, 0.3% pb, 2% max Ni when sand cast it has a tensile
strength of 200-270 N/mm2. This is among the most widely used grades, particularly where pressure
tightness is required. – In general gun metal is used for Bearings, steam pipe fittings, marine castings,
Hydraulic valves and gears, etc.

• Bearing materials: – Bearings support moving parts, such as shaft and spindles, of a machine or
mechanism. – Bearings may be classed as. • Rolling contact bearings. • Plain bearings. – Rolling contact
bearings are almost invariant by made of steel that can be hardened after machining both plain carbon
and alloy steel are employed for different applications. – For making plain bearings, an extremely wide
range of materials is available and will be discussed below.

• Properties of Bearings Materials: – A bearing material should: – Possess low co-efficient of friction. –
Provide hard wear resistance surface with a tough core. – Have high compressive strength. – Have high
fatigue strength. – Be able to bear shocks and vibrations. – Possess high thermal conductivity to
dissipate heat generated due to friction between the bearing and the rotating shaft. – Possess adequate
strength at high temp. – Be such that it can be easily fabricated.

• Aluminum and Aluminum Alloys – Aluminum is a silvery white metal and it possesses the following
characteristics. 1. It is a light metal, with a density about a third that of steel and brass(2.7 gm/cm3) 2.
Its electrical conductivity is about 60% of that of copper. 3. It has high thermal conductivity. 4. It is
ductile and malleable. 5. It has a non magnetic and non sparking in character. 6. Easy formability and
machinability. 7. It is good conductor of heat.

• Types of Al Alloys – Aluminum alloy Can be classified. 1. Wrought alloy 2. Cast alloy 3. Heat treatable
alloy 4. Non-heat-treatable alloys.

– Aluminum alloy contain 1. Al-Mn 2. Al-Mg 3. Al-Mg-Mn 4. Al-Mg-Si 5. Al-Cu-Mg 6. Al-Cu-Si 7. Al-Cu-Mg-
Pb 8. Al-Mg-Si- Pb 9. Al-Zn-Mg-Cu

1. Percent composition of few wrought alloys are: 1. 4.4 Cu, 0.6 Mn, 1.5 Mg, balance Al (Duralumin) 2.
0.12 Cu, 1.2 Mn, Balance Al (Magnalium) 3. 2.5 Mg, 0.25 Cr, Balance Al (Hindalium) 4. 0.6 Si, 0.27 Cu,1.0
Mg, 0.2 Cr, Balance Al

2. Percent composition of few cast alloys are: 1. 12 Si, rest Al (LM-5) 3. 4 Cu, 3 Si, rest Al 2. 4.5 Cu, 5.5
Si, rest Al 4. 3.8 Mg, 1.8 Zn, rest Al

3. Percent composition of few heat treatable alloys are: 1. 3.9-5.0 Cu, 0.2-0.8 Mg, 0.5-1.0 Si, 0.5-1.0 Mn,
rest Al 2. 0.5-1.2 Mg, 0.7-1.3 Si, 0.4-1.0 Mn, rest Al 3. 0.4-0.9 Mg, 0.3-0.7 Si, rest Al

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4. Percent composition of few non heat treatable alloys are: 1. 0.8-1.5 Mn, Rest Al 2. 1.7-2.4 Mg, rest Al
(LM-10) 3. 10-13 Si, rest Al 4. 5.0-5.5 Mg, 0.6-1.0 Mn, 0.05-0.20 Cr, rest Al

• Use of Al and Al-alloys 1. Transportation industry- Structural frame work, engine parts, decorative
features, hardware, doors, window frame, furnishing and fitting. 2. Overhead conductor and heat
exchanger parts. 3. In food industry, Al and its alloy find application as preparation equipment,
refrigeration, storage containers, bakery equipment, shipping container. 4. Cryogenic application. 5. As
heavy duty structure such as travelling Crain, hoists, conveyor support, bridges. 6. In process industry,
handle organic chemical petrochemicals and drug.

• Magnesium and Magnesium Alloys – Magnesium is a silvery white metal and has the lowest density of
the common structural materials. – Properties: 1. High strength to weight ratio. 2. Good fatigue
strength. 3. Good dimensional stability in service. 4. Good damping capacity. 5. Relative high electrical
conductivity. 6. High thermal conductivity. • Uses: 1. For making parts such as airframes, engines, gear
boxes, flooring, seating etc. for the helicopters, aero planes, missiles. 2. For material handling
equipment such as hand trucks, conveyors, foundry equipment. 3. For storage tank electric drills, chain
saws, power hammer etc. 4. Moving parts of textile machines and printing equipment. 5. Binocular and
camera bodies. 6. In the production of uranium, beryllium, zirconium, titanium etc. 7. Typewriters,
dictating machine, calculator etc.

• Types of magnesium alloys:

1. Dow metal • It contains 90% magnesium, 10% Aluminium and a small addition of manganese • It
used in air craft industries and automobile industries • It us extremely hard and can welded and
machined

2. Cast alloys of magnesium • Al 8, Zn 0.5, Mn 0.3 and mg balance • Al 8, Zn 0.5, Mn 0.3, Be 0.0015 and
mg balance

3. Wrought alloys of magnesium • Zn 3.0, Zr (Zirconium) 0.6 and mg balance • Th 0.8, Zn 0.6, Zr 0.6 and
mg balance

• Titanium and its Alloys

• Characteristics: – They are 40% lighter than steel and 60% heavier than aluminum. The combination
of moderate weight and high strength give titanium alloys the highest strength to weight ration of any
structural metal. – Melting point of titanium is higher than iron. – It has low thermal conductivity. –
Titanium has good corrosion resistance. – Its thermal coefficient of expansion is low. – Its electrical
resistivity is also high.

• Types of titanium alloys

1. Alpha alloys (alloying elements Al, Sn, Zr, V, Mo) 2. Beta alloys 3. Alpha and beta alloys

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• Lead and its alloys

• Properties of lead: – Resistance to corrosion and low melting point – It is poisonous – Heavy weight,
high density, softness, malleability – High coefficient of expansion and low electrical conductivity •
Application: – For radiation shielding and production of paints – For weight in counter weights – It is
used in copper alloys for good machinability • Lead based alloys: – It is applied where cheap and
corrosion resistance material is required. An alloy contains 8 to 10% Pb are used as bearing metals.

• Nickel alloys (Home Work) • Zinc alloys (Home Work) • Tin alloys (Home Work)

PROPERTIES OF NON FERROUS METALS

Aluminium Properties: second most widely used metal after steel; light, good conductor of electricity
and heat; greyish-white; easy to cut and machine Uses: display racks, cooking foil, drink cans, overhead
power cables, casings and panels for electrical goods, road signs

Copper Properties: reddish-brown; ductile, malleable; can be cut sawn, filed and machined easily;
excellent conductor of heat and electricity Uses: electrical fitting and wires, printed circuit boards, tips of
soldering iron, domestic water pipes, cylinders, cooking utensils, decorative ornaments

Tin

Properties: silvery-white, non-toxic, soft; normally used by plating it onto other metals such as mild steel
(tinplate) Uses: food cans, plating on copper tracks of printed circuit boards

Zinc

Properties: silvery-blue, does not corrode easily, ductile, not very strong Uses: manufacture of other
metals such as brass and galvanized iron, batteries, rust-proof paints

Lead

Properties: very heavy, but soft; appears bright and shiny bluish-grey when cut but surface changes
quickly to a dull grey; toxic, resistant to corrosion and many chemicals Uses: can be mixed with other
materials to make them easier to machine; acts as a protection against x-rays and radiation, core of
some batteries

Brass

Properties: good conductor of heat and electricity, golden yellow alloy, easy to machine and solder,
made by mixing copper and zinc Uses: pins of electrical plugs, nuts, bolts, screws, hinges, some machine
parts, musical instruments, decorative artifacts, locks, keys

Bronze

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Properties: made by mixing copper and tin; reddish-yellow, hard-wearing, corrosion resistant, easily
machined Uses: ship propellers, bells, gears, bearings, statues

Aluminium

Aluminium’s range of unique properties make it the perfect material for a wide range of building
applications – meaning that designers and architects can realise their creative and innovative designs for
intricate, stable and lightweight structures without concern of warping or high maintenance costs.

Natural Occurence

In the Earth's crust, aluminium is the most abundant (8.3% by weight) metallic element and the third
most abundant of all elements (after oxygen and silicon).Because of its strong affinity to oxygen, it is
almost never found in the elemental state; instead it is found in oxides or silicates.

Properties

Durable Aluminium building products are made from alloys that are weather-proof, corrosion-resistant
and immune to the harmful effects of UV rays, ensuring optimal performance over a very long lifetime.

Flexible Aluminium’s combination of properties mean that it can be easily shaped by any of the main
industrial metalworking processes, including rolling, extrusion, forging and casting, guaranteeing
virtually unlimited design potential.

Light-weight Aluminium’s light weight makes it cheaper and easier to transport and handle on site.
Strong The use of aluminium in buildings assists architects meet performance specifications while
minimising expenditure on foundations. Alloyed aluminium can be as strong as steel at only a third of
the weight.

Corrosion Resistant Aluminium’s natural oxide coating provides an effective protective barrier against
elements that wear other metals. Insular A layer of insulated aluminium siding is four times more
effective than uninsulated wood siding, four inches of brick, or ten inches of stone masonry.

Recyclable Aluminium is 100% recyclable and uses only 5% of the energy used to make the original
product.

Raw Materials

Aluminum compounds occur in all types of clay, but the ore that is most useful for producing pure
aluminum is bauxite. Bauxite consists of 45-60% aluminum oxide, along with various impurities such as
sand, iron, and other metals. Caustic soda (sodium hydroxide) is used to dissolve the aluminum
compounds found in the bauxite, separating them from the impurities. Depending on the composition of
the bauxite ore, relatively small amounts of other chemicals may be used in the extraction

Manufacturing

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Aluminium industry produces Alumina which is obtained from its ore Bauxite. This is known as Bayer’s
process. It is the most economical way of obtaining alumina for aluminium production. It uses 3 ton of
bauxite to produce a two ton of alumina which produces 1 ton of aluminium

Bayer’s PROCESS

Alumina is reduced into aluminium in the smelter plants by the Hall-Heroult process

History of Aluminium in building industry

In its 100 years history aluminium has had a very strong impact in the building industry . At first is
replaced metals traditionally used for reinforcement and decoration. Many buildings and historical
structures have chosen aluminium for their construction due to its desirable properties.

Why is aluminium used in building industry The following properties make it suitable for using in the
building industry

•Durability: Aluminium building products are made from alloys, which are weather-proof, corrosion-
resistant and immune to the harmful effects of UV rays, ensuring optimal performance over a very long
serviceable lifetime.

• Design flexibility: The extrusion process offers an almost infinite range of forms and sections, allowing
designers to integrate numerous functions into one profile. Rolled products may be manufactured flat,
curved, shaped into cassettes, or sandwiched with other materials. In addition, aluminium can be sawed,
drilled, riveted,screwed, bent, welded and soldered in the workshop or on the building site.

• High strength-to-weight ratio: This unique property allows architects to meet required performance
specifications, while minimising the dead load on a building’s supporting structure. Thanks to the
metal’s inherent sturdiness, aluminium window and curtain wall frames can be very narrow, maximising
solar gains for given outer dimensions. Moreover, the material’s light weight makes it easier to transport
and handle

Hundreds of surface finishes: Aluminium can be anodised or painted in any colour, to any optical effect,
using any number of surface touches, in order to meet a designer’s decorative needs. Such processes
also serve to enhance the material’s durability and corrosion resistance, as well as providing an easyto-
clean surface.

High reflectivity: This characteristic feature makes aluminium a very efficient material for light
management. Aluminium solar collectors can be installed to lower energy consumption for artificial
lighting and heating in winter, while aluminium shading devices can be used to reduce the need for air
conditioning in summer.

• Heat conductivity: Aluminium is a good conductor of heat, which may be a disadvantage in some
applications. However, this property can easily be overcome by the profile design and the use of thermal
breaks made of low conductivity materials.

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• Fire safety: Aluminium does not burn and is therefore classed as a non-combustible construction
material (European fire class A1). Aluminium alloys will nevertheless melt at around 650°C, but without
releasing harmful gases. Industrial roofs and external walls are increasingly made of thin aluminium
cladding panels, intended to melt during a major fire, allowing heat and smoke to escape and thereby
minimising damage.

• Optimal security: Where high security is required, specially designed, strengthened aluminium frames
can be used. While the glass for such applications may well be heavy, the overall weight of the structure
remains manageable thanks to the light weight of the aluminium frame.

• Low maintenance: Besides routine cleaning for aesthetic reasons, neither bare nor painted aluminium
requires any maintenance, which translates into a major cost advantage over the lifetime of a product.

Extrusions

Aluminium is the most commonly extruded material. Aluminium can be hot or cold extruded. If it is hot
extruded it is heated to 300 to 600 °C.

Aluminium extrusions are used in commercial and domestic buildings for window and door frame
systems, prefabricated houses/building structures, roofing and exterior cladding, curtain walling, shop
fronts, etc. Furthermore, extrusions are also used in transport for airframes, road and rail vehicles and in
marine applications.

Extrusion Process

What is Surface Treatment

Even before surface treatment, the appearance and surface quality of extruded aluminium profiles is
perfectly satisfactory for many applications.However, there are many other reasons for treating the
surfaces of profiles. Examples of attributes that can be changed by surface treatment include: – surface
structure – colour – corrosion resistance – hardness – wear resistance – reflectivity – electrical insulation
Surfaces do not always need treatment after extrusion. Load-bearing structures and machine parts are
examples of products where the surface quality is satisfactory without any treatment.

Usage of Aluminium

Use in Buildings

Aluminium extruded, rolled, and cast products are commonly used for window frames and other glazed
structures ranging from shop fronts to large roof superstructures for shopping centres and stadiums; for
roofing, siding, and curtain walling, as well as for cast door handles, catches for windows, staircases,
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heating and air-conditioning systems. Most recently, aluminium has played a significant role in the
renovation of historic buildings.

Column Casing

Unitised Cladding

Rain screen Cladding

I-Line Snap On

C-Fix Secret Fix Coping System

Aluminium in Eaves System

Aluminium Composite Panel(ACP) Aluminium composite panel is a kind of new decoration material,
which comes to attract great attention within a short time, due to its excellent performance, such as low
cost, many available colors, convenient installation, good processing feature and outstanding fireproof
characteristic, etc… Structure of aluminium composite panel Aluminium composite panel is
compounded with top and bottom layers of aluminium sheet, non-toxic polyethylene core material.
There’s a protective film sticking on the front side. For exterior decoration, the front side is coated with
PVDF coating; For interior decoration, Polyester coating on the front side is OK.

Features of aluminium composite panel Aluminium composite panel is easy to process. We can shorten
the project time and decrease cost by using such material. Aluminium composite panel can be cut,
sheared, slotted, sawed, punched, bent, riveted, bolted, stuck

Aluminium Doors

Aluminium Window Frames

Aluminium Furniture's

Aluminium Partition Walls

Generally, a building has to be appealing, commercially viable and sustainable. As a building material,
aluminium fulfills these basic principles unreservedly. It is characterized by its aesthetics, functionality
and resource efficiency and plays an important role in the sustainability of new buildings and the
modernization of old ones. In this connection, one should highlight the impressive durability of
aluminium building products. One of aluminium’s additional strengths is the ease with which it can be
recycled. Time and time again the metal can be melted down and turned into new high-grade products
without a large amount of energy being required, and is thus available to benefit future generations. In
building products, aluminium makes a significant contribution towards improving the energy balance of

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a building. Both aspects, ease of recycling and beneficial use of energy are key factor when considering
the life cycle of a building

Aluminium market prices and trend

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