ALLOTROPIC FORMS OF METALS

Scientific American Supplement, No. 799, April 25, 1891 by Various, is part of the HackerNoon Books Series. You can jump to any chapter in this book here. ALLOTROPIC FORMS OF METALS.

ALLOTROPIC FORMS OF METALS.

Writing on some curious properties of metals and alloys, Mr. W.C. Roberts-Austen, says the Engineer, remarks that the importance of the isomeric and allotropic states has been much neglected in the case of metals. Joule and Lyon Playfair showed, in 1846, that metals in different allotropic states possess different atomic volumes, and Matthiessen, in 1860, was led to the view that in certain cases where metals are alloyed they pass into allotropic states, probably the most important generalization which has yet been made in connection with the molecular constitution of alloys. Instances of allotropy in pure metals are: Bolley's lead, which oxidizes readily in air; Schutzenberger's copper; Fritsche' tin, which falls to powder when exposed to exceptionally cold winter; Gore's antimony; Graham's palladium and allotropic nickel. Joule has also proved that, when iron is released from its amalgam by distilling away the mercury, the metallic iron takes fire on exposure to air, and is therefore clearly different from ordinary iron.

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