Research Questions

1. In a table, present the following information about steel, brass and solder.
the elements found in each alloy
the properties of each alloy
the uses of each alloy
an explanation of how the uses relate to the properties.





Steel(Stainless) Brass Solder
elements found Iron 74%
Chromium 18%
Nickel 8%
Copper 65%
Zinc 35%


Lead 67%
Tin 33%

Properties Resists corrosion
High strength
Shiny surface

Resists corrosion
Ductile
Malleable
Shiny, polishes well
Antibacterial


Low melting point

Uses Sinks and kitchen
equipment
Cutlery
Machinery parts

Doorknobs, ornaments
Musical instruments
Screws
Electrical wires
Pipes
How use relates
to property
Stainless steels resistance
to corrosion, shiny surface
and strength makes it
suitable for kitchenware and
sinks as it is both
aesthetically pleasing and
does not rust easily.
Stainless steel parts are
also used in industry for its
corrosion resistance and
strength.
Brass is used for doorknobs
and ornaments due to its
attractive shiny appearance
and can be easily polished.
It is also commonly used in
musical instruments as it
resists corrosion and is
malleable, and has
antibacterial properties. Its
also used for screws as it is
corrosion resistant, so it will
not rust,

Solder is most
commonly used for
electrical
wires/connectors or
pipes, as its low
melting point means
it can be melted to
join metal surfaces so
the base surfaces do
not melt.
(Irwin and Farrelly et al., 2007)
(Leffler, n.d)
(Jester, 1995)
(Antimicrobial copper displaces stainless steel, germs for medical applications, 2011)
(Solder Alloys, 2009)









2. Identify an alloy that has been produced only in the past 50 years. Describe the use of this alloy
and the reason for its production. (Maximum 50 words)

Nitinol is a nickel-titanium alloy discovered in 1959 byr William Buehler; but not commercially
produced until the 1990s (Withers, 2013). Its now produced for use in medical devices, spectacle
frames and dental braces due to its properties of shape memory and superelasticity, as it is able to
restore its original shape when heated.(Extraction of Metals, n.d; How Does Nitinol Work? All About
Nitinol Shape Memory and Superelasticity, n.d)

3. Produce a time-line, drawn to scale, (Dipity- make timelines could be used) to show the Bronze
and Iron ages. Include the commencement of mass production of aluminium and titanium.




4. Explain the chronological order of metal usage outlined in your timeline.

The bronze age began after the Stone Age, in approximately 3000BC (Irwin and Farrelly et al., 2007)
used widely for weapons and tools. The Iron age began approximately 1000BC, replacing bronze in
many uses. (Whipps, 2008). Aluminium was difficult and expensive to extract until a new method
developed in 1889 (Bellis, n.d). Titanium could not be commercially produced until 1936 with the Kroll
Process(Titanium Element Facts, n.d).

5. Explain why energy is required to extract a metal from its ore.

Ores are naturally occurring mixtures that contains metals and other minerals or compounds. (Clark,
2005). Almost all extraction of metals requires a chemical reaction called reduction, which removes
the oxygen from metal compounds(Extracting metals and making alloys, n.d). This needs a large
amount of energy to break and rearrange the strong chemical bonds in the compound (Irwin and
Farrelly et al., 2007)

6. Outline why there are more metals available for people to use now than there were 200 years ago.

There are more metals available today than 200 years ago as over time, technology and science
makes vast improvements. Due to this, we are able to develop better extraction methods that werent
possible before, e.g electrolysis. Also over time, the costs of extracting metals goes down allowing
more metals to be available (Bellis, n.d).

7. Name a scientist or scientific team that researches the production of modern alloys and describe
their research.
A team of international research scientists at Monash University in Melbourne led by Professor Nick
Birbilis(Gary, 2013), have developed a new alloy by adding small amount of arsenic to magnesium to
reduce corrosion rates. Magnesium is an extremely light structural metal with many potential industrial
uses, but is not commonly used due to its poor corrosion resistance. The research team has
discovered that the addition of arsenic poisons the corrosion reaction before it completes. This
discovery could lead to widespread use in aerospace, automotive and electronics, and will help
develop the next generation of magnesium products, which must be more stainless(Birbilis,2013).


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