On the Alloys ofSlccL 371 



ed, burns like bitumen, and with a bright flame ; the residuum 

 is protoxide of iron, and the alloying metal. Hence, during the 

 action of the acid on the steel, a portion of hydrogen enters 

 into combination with part of the metal and the charcoal, and 

 forms an inflammable compound not acted upon by the acid. 



Some striking effects are produced by the action of nitric 

 acid on these powders. If that from pure steel be taken, it is 

 entirely dissolved ; and such is also the case if the powder be 

 taken from an alloy, the metal of which is soluble in nitric 

 acid ; but if the powder is from an alloy, the metal of which 

 is not soluble in nitric acid, then a black residuum is left not 

 touclicd by the acid ; and v.hicli, when washed and carefully 

 dried, is found, when heated, to be deflagrating; and with some 

 ot the metals, when carefully prepared, strongly explosive. 



The fulminating preparation obtiiined from the platina alloy, 

 when dissolved in nitro-nun'iatic acid, gave a solution contain- 

 ing much platina, and very little iron. When a litde of it was 

 wrapped in foil and heated, it exploded with nuich force, tear- 

 ing open the foil, and evolving a faint light. When dropped 

 on the surface of heated mercury, it exploded readily at 400° 

 of Fahrenheit, but with difficulty "at 370°. When its tempera- 

 ture was raised slowly, it did not explode, but was decomposed 

 quietly. \Mien detonated in the bottom of a hot glass tube, 

 nuich water and fume were given off', and the residuum col- 

 lected was metallic platina with a very litde iron and charcoal. 

 We are uncertain how far this preparation resembles the ful- 

 minating platina of Mr. Edmund Davy. 



In these alloys of steel the differences of specific gravity are 

 not great, and may probably be in part referred to the denser 

 state of the metals from more or less hammering : at the same 

 time it may be observed, tliat they are nearly in die order of 

 the specific gravities of the respecdve alloying metals. 



The alloys of steel with gold, tin, coj)per, and chromium, 

 we have not atten)})ted in tlie large way. In the laboratory, 

 steel and gold were combined in various proportions ; — none 

 of the results were so promising as the alloys already named, 

 nor did either tin or c()i)]ier, as fiw as we could judge, at all 

 improve steel. With titanium we failed, owing to tlie imper- 

 fection of crucibles. In one instance, in which the fused but- 

 t<ni gave a fine damask surliice, we were disposed to attribute 

 the aj)pearance to the presence ol" titanium ; but in diis we 

 were misUiken ; — the fact was, we had unintentionally made 

 wootz. The button, by analysis, gave a little silex and alu- 

 mine, but not an atom ol'titanium ; menachanite, in a jjarticular 

 state ol" preparation, was used: tliis might possiljly contain the 

 earths or their basis, or they may have Ibrmed a part of the 

 fiurihk. :j a '1 ' M. IVrlhier, 



