Properties & Uses of Alloys
- Alloys are mixtures of metals where the metals are not chemically combined
- They can also be made from metals mixed with non-metals such as carbon or phosphorus
- Alloys often have properties that can be very different from the metals they contain, for example they can have more strength, hardness or resistance to corrosion or extreme temperatures
- Alloys contain atoms of different sizes, which distorts the regular arrangements of atoms
- This makes it more difficult for the layers to slide over each other, so they are usually much harder and stronger than the pure metal
The regular arrangement of a metal lattice structure is distorted in alloys
- Different alloys have different uses, displayed below
Table of different alloys and their uses
Examiner Tip
You need to make sure you remember the composition, use and properties of each alloy.
