Exhibition chemistry

Magic metal

By 2012-07-01T00:00:00

Exhibition Chemistry_200

Source: Declan Fleming

Demonstrations designed to capture the student's imagination

Fusible alloys

When teaching metals there are a number of ways to show how mixing metals together can alter their properties. Fusible alloys (ones which melt at a low temperature) are an attractive and underused opportunity to show how far we can manipulate a material's properties.

Fusible alloys are used for solders, as temperature triggers in sprinkler systems (where the plug is held in place with a fusible alloy which melts in a fire), as mercury replacements (eg galinstan thermometers) and even as experimental coolants in fast neutron reactors.

Field's metal is one such alloy which melts at a low temperature (61°C) and, unusually for a fusible alloy, contains neither lead nor cadmium.

Kit

  • Sample of Field's metal (~30 g is a good size)
  • Ceramic crucible
  • 250 cm3 conical flask
  • Optional moulding paraphernalia (eg ice cube trays, plasticine, jewellery moulding compound) 

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