-: Certificate Of Authenticity:-

This is to certify that “Faizaan Ahmed Khan” a student of

class 12th ‘B’ has successfully completed the investigatory
project on the topic “Study of Constituents of an Alloy”
under the guidance of Mr. Abid Zubair.

This project is absolutely authentic and does not coddle in

plagiarism of any kind. The references taken in making
this project have been acknowledged at the end of this
investigatory project.

Signature (Subject Teacher)

Signature (Examiner)
 Introduction
An Alloy is a homogenous mixture of two or more metals or a non-metal.
An alloy of mercury with another metal is called amalgam.
Alloys are usually harder than their components but very often less
ductile and less malleable. Thus the hardness of gold is increased by
addition of copper to it. The melting point of an alloy is always lower than
the melting points of the constituent metals. Other properties such as
reactivity towards atmospheric oxygen and moisture, mechanical
strength, ductility, color etc. also under goes a change when an alloy is
made from its constituents (metals). This change of properties is very
useful and makes an alloy beneficial.
Some of the alloys along with their composition is given below.
1. Brass :-
It consists copper-50-90%.
Zinc. : 20-40%
and small amounts of tin, lead and iron.
2. Bronze : It consists copper 60-90%.
3. Tin : 5-35%
and also contains small amounts of lead, iron and zinc.
Duralumin : It consists A1 : 95%, Cu = 4%
Mn = 0.5%, Mg = 0.5%
4. Gun Metal : It consists copper 85 - 90%
5. Zinc. : 1-3%
6. Tin : 8-12%
The composition of alloys may differ slightly depending upon the
quality of the alloy though the main components remain the same.
 Some Common Alloys :-
Amalgam
Any alloy of mercury is called an amalgam. Most metals are soluble in
mercury, but some (such as iron)are not. Amalgams are commonly used in
dental fillings because they have been relatively cheap, easy to use, and
durable.

In addition, until recently, they have been regarded as safe. They are made by
mixing mercury with silver ,copper ,tin , and other metals. The mercury
content of dental fillings has recently stirred controversy, based on the
potentially harmful effects of mercury.

Mercury amalgams have also been used in the process of mining

gold and silver, because of the ease with which mercury amalgamates with
them. In addition , thallium amalgam is used as the liquid material in
thermometers, because it freezes at -58°C,whereas pure mercury freezes at -
38°C.
Brass
A decorative brass paperweight (left), along with zinc and copper samples.
Brass is the term used for alloys of copper and zinc in a solid solution. It has a
yellow color, somewhat similar to gold.
It was produced in prehistoric times, long before zinc was discovered, by
melting copper with calamine, a zinc ore.
The amount of zinc in brass varies from 5 to 45 percent, creating a range of
brasses, each with unique properties. By comparison, bronze is principally
an alloy of copper and tin.
Despite this distinction, some types of brasses are called bronzes.
Brass is relatively resistant to tarnishing and is often used for
decorative purposes. Its malleability and acoustic properties have
made it the metal of choice for musical instruments such as the
trombone, tuba, trumpet, and euphonium.
Although saxophones And harmonicas are made out of brass, the
saxophone is a woodwind instrument, and the harmonica, a free reed
aero phone. In organ pipes designed as "reed" pipes, brass strips are
used as
the "reed." Aluminum makes brass stronger and more corrosion-
resistant. It forms a transparent, self-healing, protective layer of
aluminum oxide (Al2O3) on the surface.
Tin has a similar effect and finds its use especially in
seawater applications (naval brasses). Combinations of iron,
aluminum, silicon, and manganese make brass
resistant to wear and tear.

Bronze
Bronze refers to a broad range of copper alloys, usually with tin as the
main additive, but sometimes with other element s such as
phosphorus, manganese, aluminum, or silicon. Typically, bronze is
about 60 percent copper and 40 percent tin.
The use of bronze was particularly significant for early civilizations,
leading to the name "Bronze Age." Tools, weapons, armor, and building
materials such as decorative tiles were made of bronze, as they were
found to be harder and more durable than their stone and
copper predecessors.
 Preparation of Alloys

Alloys are prepared from the techniques of fusion, compression or

simultaneous electro - deposition.
Generally the components are mixed together in proper properties
in a fuse clay crucible, melted and stirred with a piece of charcoal to
avoid oxidation.
The molten mixture is now allowed to cool. When an alloy is
obtained e.g. brass is prepared by above melted.

Analysis of an alloy
The complete analysis of an alloy involves two steps.

1. Qualitative Analysis :
This involves identification of the components of the alloys.

2. Quantitative Analysis :

This involves determination of the components of the alloy. It

involves the separation of the components from the alloy
quantitatively followed by determination of percentage of each
component volumetrically or gravimetrically.
In this project we will carry out qualitative analysis only.

Objectives of Project :
In this project, our aim is to know the various metals present in the
given sample of alloy.
 Aim : To analyze a sample of brass qualitatively.
Requirements : China dish, test-tube funnel, filter paper and common laboratory
reagents.
Theory :
Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. with the following.
Composition :
Cu = 60-90% and Zn. = 10-40%.
Thus Cu and Zn. form the main constituents of brass. Both these metals dissolved in
50% of nitric acid due to formation of nitrates which are soluble.
3 Cu + 8HNO3 (Dil) 3 Cu (NO3)2 + 2NO + 4H2O
or
Cu + 8H+ + 2NO3– 3 Cu+2 + 2NO + 4H2O
4Zn + 10HNO3 (Dil) 4 Zn (NO2)2 + N2O + 5H2O
4Zn + 2NO3– + 10H+ 4 Zn+2 + N2O + 5H2O
The solution is boiled to expel the oxides of nitrogen and the resulting solution is
tested for Cu2+ and Zn+2 ions.

Procedure :
1. Place a small piece of brass in a china dish and heat this with minimum quantity of
50% HNO3 so as to dissolve the piece completely.
2. Continue heating the solution till a dry solid residue is obtained.
3. Dissolve the solid residue in dil. HCl and filter. Add distilled water to the filtrate.
4. Pass H2S gas through the filtrate. A black precipitate of copper sulphide is obtained.
Separate the black ppt. and keep the filtrate for the test of Zn+2 ions Dissolve black ppt.
by heating them with 50% HNO3. To this solution add ammonium hydroxide solution.
Appearance of deep blue coloration in the solution shows the presence of copper ions in
the solution.
5. To test Zn+2 ions, boil the filtrate to remove H2S gas, then add solid NH4Cl to this and
heat to dissolve NH4Cl. Add excess of NH4OH so that a solution is ammoniacal. Now
pass H2S gas through this ammoniacal solution. Dirty white or grey precipitation indicate
zinc. Separate the precipitates and dissolve it in minimum amount of dil. HCl. Boil to
expel H2S gas and add potassium Ferro cyanide solution, white or bluish white ppt.
confirm Zn+2 ions in the solution.
Result :
The given sample of brass contains copper and zinc. metals as the main
constituents.
Aim : To analyze a sample of bronze qualitatively.
Procedure :
1. Take about 1g. of small pieces of bronze in a china dish and add to it 5-10
ml. of dil. HNO3.
2. Heat the contents slowly to dissolve copper and tin completely and then
boil the contents to a paste to remove excess of HNO3. All this is carried out
in cup board.
3. Dissolve this dry mass in distilled water containing HCl (1:1) to get a clear
solution.
4. Transfer the solution in a test tube and pass H2S in excess i.e. till the
precipitation is complete. Filter and reject the filtrate.
5. Take the black ppt. in a test tube and add to it 2-3 ml. of yellow
ammonium sulphide and heat. Filter the contents. Black residue is tested
for Cu+2 ions and filtrate is tested for Sn+2ions.
6. Analysis of black residue :
Transfer a little of the black ppt. into a test tube. Add to it 2-3 ml. of 50%.
HNO3 and boil the contents of the tube. A light blue or green sol. indicates
the presence of Cu+2. Divide this sol. into two parts.
(a) To one part add excess of NH4OH a deep blue coloration confirms the
presence of Cu+2 ions.
(b) Acidify the second part with acetic acid and add K4 [Fe (CN)6] i.e.
potassium ferrocyanide solution. A reddish brown ppt. confirms the
presence of Cu+2 ions.
7. Analysis of filtrate :
Boil the filtrate with 1 ml. of dil. HCl. A yellow ppt. is obtained. Dissolve in 1
ml. conc. HCl. To this solution add 0.5 g. of zinc. dust and boil it for 2-3
minutes. Filter and to filtrate add 1-2 ml. of mercuric chloride solution. A
white ppt. turning grey on standing confirms the presence of Sn+4 ions.
Result :
The given sample of bronze contains - Cu and Sn as the main constituents.
i) To modify chemical reactivity :-
When sodium is used as reducing agent it is too reactive to be used but
its allay with mercury, called sodium amalgam can be safely used as
reducing agent.
ii) To increase hardness :-
Hardness of gold is increased by adding copper to it. Also zinc is added to
copper to make copper hard in form of brass.
iii) To increase tensile strength :-
Nickeloy, an alloy of Nickel (1%), Copper (4%) and aluminium (95%) has
high tensile strength.
iv) To lower the melting point :-
Solder metal which is an alloy of Sn(30%) and Pb(70%) has very less
meting point as compared to melting points of Sn and Pb.
v) To modify the colour :-
Aluminium bronze an alloy of Cu and Al has beautiful golden colour.
vi) To resist corrosion:-
Iron gets rusted and corroded. Its corrosion takes place with time but
stainless steel, an alloy of iron and carbon get not rusted the composition
of stainless steel is :
Iron - 98%
Carbon - 2%
1. XII class Chemistry NCERT Books

2. www.iCBSE.com

3. Class XII Chemistry Practical Book

4.Photos from Google image.

5.More Information from Wikipedia

6.www.scribd.com
-: INDEX :-