White metal

White metal

The white metals are any of several light-colored alloys used as a base for plated silverware, ornaments or novelties, as well as any of several lead-base or tin-base alloys used for things like bearings, jewellery, miniature figures, fusible plugs, some medals and metal type.

Some of the metals that make up a white metal alloy are antimony, tin, lead, cadmium, bismuth, and zinc. Not all of these metals are found in all white metal alloys but are mixed to achieve a desired goal or need. As an example, a base metal for jewelry needs to be castable, polishable, have good flow characteristics, have the ability to cast fine detail without an excessive amount of porosity and cast at between 230 °C and 300 °C (450 °F and 575 °F).

It should be noted that in compliance with British law, the British fine art trade uses the term "white metal" in auction catalogues to describe foreign silver items which do not carry British Assay Office marks, but which are nonetheless understood to be silver and are priced accordingly.

Tin-lead and tin-copper alloys

Tin-lead & tin-copper alloys have a low melting point that is ideal for use as solder, but these alloys also have ideal characteristics for plain bearings. Most importantly for bearings, the material should be hard and wear resistant and have a low coefficient of friction. It must also be shock resistant, tough and sufficiently ductile to allow for slight misalignment prior to running in.

Pure metals are soft, tough and ductile with a high coefficient of friction. Intermetallic compounds are hard and wear resistant but brittle. By themselves, these do not make ideal bearing materials.

Alloys consist of small particles of a hard compound embedded in the tough, ductile background of a solid solution. In service the latter can wear away slightly leaving the hard compound to carry the load. This wear also provides channels to allow in lubricant (oils). All bearing metals contain antimony (Sb) which forms hard cubic crystals.

ee also

* Babbitt metal
* Britannia metal
* Pewter
* Pot metal
* Punchcutting
* ZAMAK

External links

* [http://www.nomastedio.com/Tienda/toy_soldiers_shop.html Miniatures en métal, soldats & miniatures de plomb, objets de collections]


Wikimedia Foundation. 2010.

Игры ⚽ Нужно сделать НИР?

Look at other dictionaries:

  • White metal — White White (hw[imac]t), a. [Compar. {Whiter} (hw[imac]t [ e]r); superl. {Whitest}.] [OE. whit, AS. hw[imac]t; akin to OFries. and OS. hw[=i]t, D. wit, G. weiss, OHG. w[=i]z, hw[=i]z, Icel. hv[=i]tr, Sw. hvit, Dan. hvid, Goth. hweits, Lith.… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • White Metal — bezeichnet: Christlicher Metal, ein Musikgenre Weißmetall, eine Metalllegierung Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unterscheidung mehrerer mit demselben Wort bezeichneter Begriffe …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • White Metal —   [englisch/amerikanisch, waɪt metl], Heavy Metal Rock …   Universal-Lexikon

  • White metal — White metal. См. Белый металл. (Источник: «Металлы и сплавы. Справочник.» Под редакцией Ю.П. Солнцева; НПО Профессионал , НПО Мир и семья ; Санкт Петербург, 2003 г.) …   Словарь металлургических терминов

  • white metal — n. any of various light colored alloys, esp. any of those, as pewter, containing much lead or tin …   English World dictionary

  • White Metal — Христианский рок  разновидность рок музыки, посвящённая теме Христианства. Группы христианского рока исполняют песни о Боге, вере и душе, и обычно состоят из воцерковленных христиан. Христианский рок выделяется исключительно по текстам, он не… …   Википедия

  • White metal — Христианский рок  разновидность рок музыки, посвящённая теме Христианства. Группы христианского рока исполняют песни о Боге, вере и душе, и обычно состоят из воцерковленных христиан. Христианский рок выделяется исключительно по текстам, он не… …   Википедия

  • White metal — Metal chrétien Metal chrétien Origines stylistiques Heavy metal, musique chrétienne Origines culturelles États Unis d Amérique; durant les années 1970 Instrument(s) ty …   Wikipédia en Français

  • white metal — white′ met′al n. mel any of various light colored alloys, as Babbitt metal or Britannia metal • Etymology: 1605–15 …   From formal English to slang

  • white metal — /waɪt ˈmɛtl/ (say wuyt metl) noun 1. a. any of various light coloured alloys containing a high proportion of tin, as babbitt metal, britannia metal, etc., used for bearings, light castings, and domestic articles. b. any of various similar alloys… …  

Share the article and excerpts

Direct link
Do a right-click on the link above
and select “Copy Link”