I'd always thought an alloy was a mixture of metals. Seems some
dictionaries reckon it's just a metal mixed with anything. And by that
definition, steel is an alloy.

Comments?

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Dave Plowman London SW
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On Thu, 16 Sep 2004 13:56:15 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

I'd always thought an alloy was a mixture of metals. Seems some
dictionaries reckon it's just a metal mixed with anything. And by that
definition, steel is an alloy.

Comments?

My preferred Chambers says "extended to mean a mixture of metals and
non-metals". I've always personally thought of steel as an alloy of iron,
the alternative nomenclature presumably being a mixture (it's not
technically a compound). Especially as many steels do contain other metals.

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Subject: Alloy
From: "Dave Plowman (News)"
Date: 16/09/04 13:56 GMT Daylight Time
Message-id:

I'd always thought an alloy was a mixture of metals. Seems some
dictionaries reckon it's just a metal mixed with anything. And by that
definition, steel is an alloy.

Technically anything other than 100% pure metal element is an alloy. Steels are
routinely classified as high carbon alloys, low carbon alloys etc. Carbon is a
non metallic element but the term alloy has always applied.

I would say that provided the majority of the material is metallic then it's an
alloy. If the majority is non metallic I suppose the term composite might be
better.
--
Dave Baker - Puma Race Engines (www.pumaracing.co.uk)

"John Laird" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 16 Sep 2004 13:56:15 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

I'd always thought an alloy was a mixture of metals. Seems some
dictionaries reckon it's just a metal mixed with anything. And by that
definition, steel is an alloy.

Comments?

My preferred Chambers says "extended to mean a mixture of metals and
non-metals". I've always personally thought of steel as an alloy of iron,
the alternative nomenclature presumably being a mixture (it's not
technically a compound). Especially as many steels do contain other
metals.

All steels contain other elements.

Mary

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In article ,
Mary Fisher wrote:
My preferred Chambers says "extended to mean a mixture of metals and
non-metals". I've always personally thought of steel as an alloy of
iron, the alternative nomenclature presumably being a mixture (it's
not technically a compound). Especially as many steels do contain
other metals.

All steels contain other elements.

Steel isn't an element. It's basically iron and carbon.

But you get some described as 'alloy steel' - which seems strange if it's
already classified as an alloy.

--
*If at first you don't succeed, redefine success.

Dave Plowman London SW
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In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

I'd always thought an alloy was a mixture of metals. Seems some
dictionaries reckon it's just a metal mixed with anything. And by that
definition, steel is an alloy.

Comments?

The term seems to be used these days to describe a metal with additives to
improve/strengthen it.

Time was when the term meant impure or debased - as in diluting gold with
base metals. The word is used in this context in the Epiphany carol "As with
gladness, men of old" where it says:

"So may we with holy joy,
Pure, and free from sin's *alloy*,
All our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King."

There, I bet you wish you'd never asked!
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Cheers,
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Steels are
routinely classified as high carbon alloys, low carbon alloys

I'd disagree with that, Dave. Alloy steel usually means steel containing
chromium or other elements to increase corrosion resistance, strength, creep
resistance, etc. People talk of high carbon steels, which are hardenable and
difficult to weld, and low carbon steels which are not hardenable, but easy to
weld. Mild steel has pretty low carbon, but if it is made from scrap it may
contain traces of all sorts of alloying elements.

"Set Square" wrote in message
...
In an earlier contribution to this discussion,
Dave Plowman (News) wrote:

I'd always thought an alloy was a mixture of metals. Seems some
dictionaries reckon it's just a metal mixed with anything. And by that
definition, steel is an alloy.

Comments?

The term seems to be used these days to describe a metal with additives to
improve/strengthen it.

Time was when the term meant impure or debased

Well, that's Time Was. Nowadays I'm not sure that just because something
isn't pure it's debased ...

In the case of iron you can have some far superior alloys for specific
purposes.

- as in diluting gold with
base metals. The word is used in this context in the Epiphany carol "As
with
gladness, men of old" where it says:

"So may we with holy joy,
Pure, and free from sin's *alloy*,
All our costliest treasures bring,
Christ, to Thee, our heavenly King."

There, I bet you wish you'd never asked!

Not at all. It's one interpretation.

Mary
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Cheers,
Set Square
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On Thu, 16 Sep 2004 13:56:15 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

I'd always thought an alloy was a mixture of metals. Seems some
dictionaries reckon it's just a metal mixed with anything.

Not just anything - carbon and silicon (and a few others) are honorary
metals in this case. As carbon and iron are mutually soluble, then
steel is an alloy.

The definition of "alloy" depends on what period you're talking about,
and what industry. Throughout the 19th century the question of
whether steel was truly an alloy or not (and where the carbon was
hiding) flip-flopped both ways.

--
Smert' spamionam

"Andy Dingley" wrote in message
...
On Thu, 16 Sep 2004 13:56:15 +0100, "Dave Plowman (News)"
wrote:

I'd always thought an alloy was a mixture of metals. Seems some
dictionaries reckon it's just a metal mixed with anything.

Not just anything - carbon and silicon (and a few others) are honorary
metals

metalloids

in this case. As carbon and iron are mutually soluble, then
steel is an alloy.

The definition of "alloy" depends on what period you're talking about,
and what industry. Throughout the 19th century the question of
whether steel was truly an alloy or not (and where the carbon was
hiding) flip-flopped both ways.

--
Smert' spamionam

"Dave Plowman (News)" wrote in message
...
I'd always thought an alloy was a mixture of metals. Seems some
dictionaries reckon it's just a metal mixed with anything. And by that
definition, steel is an alloy.


I would regard an alloy as any mixture of elements where the metallic
crystalline structure is maintained. For instance the Silicon Germanium mix
used in some semiconductors is an alloy but silicon in it's natural oxidised
state - sand - isn't an alloy.