On the Alloys of Steel. S67 



To ascertain if platina is in combination with steel, a small 

 portion of the metal, or some filings taken from the bar, is to 

 be put into dilute sulphuric acid ; there will be rapid action ; 

 the iron will be dissolved, and a black sediment left, which 

 will contain carbon, hydrogen, iron, and platina ; the carbon 

 and hydrogen are to be burnt off, the small portion of iron se- 

 parated by muriatic acid, and the residuum dissolved in a drop 

 or two of nitro-muriatic acid. Jf a piece of glass be moistened 

 with this solution, and then heated by a spirit-lamp and the 

 blow-pipe, the platina is reduced, and forms a metaUic coating 

 on the glass. 



In analysing the alloy of steel and silver, it is to be acted 

 on by dilute sulphuric acid, and the powder boiled in the acid; 

 the silver will remain in such a minute state of division, that 

 it will require some time to deposit. The powder is tlien to 

 be boiled in a small portion of strong muriatic acid * ; this will 

 dissolve the iron and silver, and the latter will fall down as a 

 chloride of silver on dilution with water; or the powder may 

 be dissolved in pure nitric acid, and tested by muriatic acid and 

 ammonia. 



The alloy of steel and palladium, acted on by dilute sulphu- 

 ric acid, and boiled in that acid, left a powder, which, when 

 the charcoal was burnt from it, and the iron partly separated 

 by cold muriatic acid, gave on solution in hot muriatic acid, or 

 in nitro-muriatic acid, a muriate of palladium ; the solution, 

 when precipitated by prussiate of mercury, gave prussiate of 

 palladium ; and a glass plate moistened with it and heated to 

 redness, became coated with metallic palladium. 



The residuum of the rhodium alloy obtained by boiling in 

 diluted sulphuric acid, had the combustible matter burnt offj 

 and the powder digested in hot muriatic acid: this removed the 

 iron; and by long digestion in nitro-muriatic acid, a muriate 

 of rhodium was formed, distinguishable by its colour, and by 

 the triple salt it foi'med with muriate of soda. 



To analyse the compound of steel with iridium and osmium, 

 the alloy should be acted on by dilute sulphuric acid, and the 

 residuum boiled in the acid ; the powder left is to be collected 

 and heated with caustic soda in a silver cnicible to dull red- 

 ness for a quarter of an hour, the whole to be mixed with wa- 

 ter, and having had excess of sulphuric acid added, it is to be 

 distilled, and that which passes over condensed in a flask: it 

 will be a solution of oxide of osmium, will have the peculiar 

 smell belonging to that substance, and will give a blue preci- 



• Although it is a generally received opinion tliat muriatic acid does not 

 act on silver, yet that is not the case; inuc imiriiitic aiid dissolves a small 

 portion of silver very readily. 



pitate 



