Experiments on the AUoys of Steel. *3i>9 



The same success attended in making the alloy to imitate 

 the Siberian meteoric iron agreeably to Mr. Children's analy- 

 sis. We fused some of the same good iron, with 10 per cent. 

 nickel; the metals were found perfectly combined, but less 

 malleable, being disposed to crack under the hammer. The 

 colour when polished had a yellow tinge. A piece of this alloy 

 has been exposed to moist air for a considerable time, together 

 with a piece of pure iron ; they are both a little rusted, not, 

 however, to the same extent ; that with the nickel being but 

 slightly acted upon, comparatively to the action on the pure 

 iron. It thus appears that nickel, when combined with iron, 

 has some effect in preventing oxidation, though certainly not to 

 the extent that has at times been given to it. It is a curious fact, 

 that the same quantity of the nickel alloyed with steel, instead of 

 preventing its rusting, appeared to accelerate it very rapidly. 



Platinum and rhodium have, in the course of these experi- 

 ments, been alloyed with iron, but these compounds do not 

 appear to possess any very interesting properties. With gold 

 we have not made the experiment. The alloys of other metals 

 with iron, as far as our experience goes, do not promise much 

 usefulness. The results are very different when steel is used ; 

 it is only, however, of a few of its compounds that we are pre- 

 pared to give any account. 



Together with some oth.ers of the metals, the following have 

 been alloyed with both English and Indian steel, and in various 

 proportions: platinum, rliodium, gold, silver, nickel, copper, 

 and tin. 



All the above-named metals appear to have an afiinity for 

 steel sufficiently strong to make them combine ; alloys of pla- 

 tinum, rhodium, gold and nickel, may be obtained when the 

 heat is sufficiently high. This is so remarkable with jolatinum, 

 that it will fuse when in contact with steel, at a heat at which 

 the steel itself is not affected. 



With respect to the alloy of silver, there are some very cu- 

 rious circumstances attending it. If steel and silver be kept in 

 fusion together for a length of time, an alloy is obtained, which 

 appears to be very perfect while the metals are in the fluid 

 state, but on solidifying and cooling, globules of pure silver 

 are expressed from the mass, and aj)pear on the surface of the 

 button. If an alloy of this kind be forged into a bar, and then 

 dissected by the action of dilute sulphuric acid, the silver ap- 

 j)ears, not in combination with the steel, but in threads through- 

 out tlic mass ; so that the whole has liic appearance of a buntlle 

 of fibres of silver and steel, as if thej^ had been united by weld- 

 ing. The appearance of these silver fibres is very beautiful; 

 they are sometimes one-eigiith of an inch in length, and sug- 

 gest the idea of giving mechanical toughness to steel, where a 

 very perfect edge may not be rocjuiied. 



At 



