l^xperimcnli un th,: Alioyi u/ Steel. ^'^51 



ture (Irav/a oL.t by the hammer, and contused (though not de- 

 stroyed), does actually occasion the damask. It is l^g^ify PJ^" 

 bable, that the wootz is steel, accidentally combined with the 

 metal of the earths, and the irregularity observed in different 

 cakes, and even in the same cake, is in accordance with this 

 opinion. The earths may be in the ore, or they may be derived 

 from the crucible m which the fusion is made.* 



It will appear by the following experiment, that we had 

 formed artificial wootz, at a time when this certainly was not 

 the object of research. In an attempt to reduce titanium, 

 and coiTibine it widi steel, a portion of menachanite was heated 

 with charcoal, and a fused button obtamed. A part ot this 

 button was next fused with some good steel ; the proportions 

 were 96 steel, 4 menachanite button. An alloy was formed, 

 which worked well under the hammer; and the little bar ob- 

 tahied was evidendy different from, and certainly superior to 

 steel. This was attributed to the presence ot titanium, but 

 none could be found in it ; nor indeed was any found even m 

 the menachanite button itself. The product was iron and car- 

 bon, combined widi the earths or their bases, and was in act 

 excellent wootz. A beautiful damask was produced on this 

 specimen by the action of dilute acid. Since this, manv at- 

 tempts have been made to reduce the oxide ot titanium ; it has 

 been heated intensely with charcoal, oil, &c., but hitherto all 

 have failed, the oxide has been changed into a black powder, 

 but not fused. When some of the oxide was mixed with stee 

 filino-s, and a litde charcoal added, on bemg intensely heated 

 the steel fused, and ran into a fine globule which was covered 

 by a dark coloured transparent glass, adhering to the sides ot 

 the crucible. The steel contained no titanium, the gla^s proved 

 to be oxide of titanium, with a litde oxide of iron. 1 hese ex- 

 periments have led us to doubt whether titanium has ever been 

 reduced to the metallic state. From the effects ot the heat 

 upon the crucibles, which became soft, and almost fluid, some- 

 times in fifteen minutes, we had in fact uo reason to suppose 

 the degi-ee of heat inferior to any before obtamed by aturnace: 



. In making the alumine alloy for the imitation of wootz, «e had occasion to 

 obsci" thl ar^ficial fonnation o/ plumbago. Some of ^^,;;^^;^^f ^X^:; 

 fore-mentioned having; been pounded and ™'-^-V':'\*^'':; \' ' ^s had not 

 fused was found to have been converted into perfect plinnI>ago. Ihi^ had not 

 S .lace throughout the wl-.ole .uass ; the n.ctal h.d soon n.elted ■"" '" 

 the bottom ■ but bavin.' been conti.u.ed in the furnace for a considerable . ne 



teS" :.f the button had reeeive.l an additional portjon ot ^•""■,7 '».-;;;'; 



ccome i.lumbam. It was soft, sectile, brif?ht, sta.ned paper, and had eve y 

 other cltiracer of that bo.ly ; it was it.deed in .>o way d.stn.KU.shable fron. U. 

 Tic intern*:.) part of these plmnbago buttons was a ">-:;f '- -' j-;;';,^ iX,d 

 of it haviuK been powdered, and fused several tnnes ^v,th charcoal, at <»^t "♦"'^ed 

 Z m h. a,wl on tile unco.nbined charcoal being burnt away by u ow '-t, U wa 

 found tl.at the whole of the steel had been converted into plumbago . thw powtUr 

 we attempted to fuse, but wert liot ''"'^''y;'"''"';^ jj^^^j 



