32 Experiments on the Alloys of Steely 



we were, however, able to detect the silver, even to less than one 

 in 500. 



In making the silver alloys, the proportion first tried was one 

 silver to 160 steel; the resulting buttons were uniformly steel 

 and silver in fibres, the silver being likewise given out in globules 

 during solidifying, and adhering to the surface of the fused but-» 

 ton; some of these when forged gave out more globules of silver. 

 In this state of mechanical mixture the little bars, when exposed 

 to a moist atmosphere, evidently produced voltaic action, and to 

 this we are disposed to attribute the rapid destruction of the me- 

 tal by oxidation, no such destructive action taking place when 

 the two metals are chemically combined. These results indi- 

 cated the necessity of diminishing the quantity of silver, and one 

 silver to 200 steel was tried. Here, again, were fibres and glo- 

 bules in abundance ; with 1 to 300, the fibres diminished but 

 still were present ; they were detected even when the proportion 

 of 1 to 4()0 was used. The successful experiment remains to be 

 named. When 1 of silver to 500 steel were properly fused, a 

 very perfect button was produced ; no silver appeared on its sur- 

 face; when forged and dissected by an acid, no fibres were seen, 

 although examined by a high magnifying power. The specimen 

 forged remarkably well, although very hard ; it had in every re- 

 spect the most favourable appearance. By a delicate test every 

 part of the bar gave silVer. This alloy is decidedly superior to 

 the very best steel, and this excellence is unquestionably owing 

 to combination with a minute portion of silver. It has been re- 

 peatedly made, and always with equal success. Various cutting 

 tools have been made from it of the best quality. This alloy i§ 

 perhaps only inferior to that of steel with rhodium, and it may 

 be procured at a small expense ; the value of silver, where the 

 proportion is so small, is not worth naming ; it will probably be 

 applied to many important purposes in the arts. An attempt was 

 made to procure the alloy of steel with silver by cementation; a 

 small piece of steel wrapped in silver leaf, being 1 to 160, was put 

 into a crucible, which being filled up with pounded green glass, 

 was submitted to a heat sufficient to fuse the silver; it was kept 

 at a white heat for three hours. On examining it, the silver was 

 found fused, and adhering to the steel; no part had combined. 

 The steel had suffered by being so long kept at a high tempera- 

 ture. Although this experiment failed in effecting the alloy of 

 steel with silver, there is reason to believe that with some other 

 metals, alloys may be obtained by this process ; the following 

 circumstance favours this suggestion. Wires of platinum and 

 steel, of about equal diameter, were packed together, and, by an 

 expert workman, were perfectly united by welding. This was 



effected 



