→ "An alloy is a blend of metals prepared by mixing the components."
→ Alloys may be homogeneous solid solutions in which the atoms of one metal are distributed randomly among the atoms of the other.
→ Scientists Hume and Rothery presented rules as follows to obtain alloys of combination of useful properties:
→ The atomic size of two metals forming the alloy must be the same. There must not be more than 15% difference in their atomic radii.
→ The chemical properties of the metals used for preparation of alloys must be same, that is, their electronic configurations of valence shell must be the same.
→ The crystal structures of pure metallic
elements used for alloys must be similar.
→ The alloys so formed are hard and have often high melting points.
→ The best known are ferrous alloys: chromium, vanadium, tungsten, molybdenum and manganese are used for the production of a variety of steels and stainless steel.
→ Alloys of transition metals with non transition metals such as brass (copper-zinc) and bronze (copper-tin), are also of considerable industrial importance..