alloy

alloy
n. /al"oy, euh loy"/; v. /euh loy"/, n.
1. a substance composed of two or more metals, or of a metal or metals with a nonmetal, intimately mixed, as by fusion or electrodeposition.
2. a less costly metal mixed with a more valuable one.
3. standard; quality; fineness.
4. admixture, as of good with evil.
5. anything added that serves to reduce quality or purity.
v.t.
6. to mix (metals or metal with nonmetal) so as to form an alloy.
7. to reduce in value by an admixture of a less costly metal.
8. to debase, impair, or reduce by admixture; adulterate.
[1590-1600; < MF aloi, OF alei, n. deriv. of aleier to combine < L alligare to bind up, equiv. to al- AL- + ligare to bind (see ALLY, LIGAMENT); r. earlier allay, ME < AF allai]
Syn. 4. fusion, blend, composite.

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Metallic substance composed of two or more elements, as either a mixture, compound, or solid solution.

The components of alloys are ordinarily themselves metals, though carbon is an essential nonmetal component of steel. Alloys are usually produced by melting the mixture of ingredients. The value of alloys was discovered in very ancient times; brass (copper and zinc) and bronze (copper and tin) were especially important. Today the most important are the alloy steels, which have a wide range of special properties, including hardness, toughness, corrosion resistance, magnetizability, and workability.

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      metallic substance composed of two or more elements, as either a compound or a solution. The components of alloys are ordinarily themselves metals, though carbon, a nonmetal, is an essential constituent of steel.

      Alloys are usually produced by melting the mixture of ingredients. The value of alloys was discovered in very ancient times; brass (copper and zinc) and bronze (copper and tin) were especially important. Today, the most important are the alloy steels, broadly defined as steels containing significant amounts of elements other than iron and carbon. The principal alloying elements for steel are chromium, nickel, manganese, molybdenum, silicon, tungsten, vanadium, and boron. Alloy steels have a wide range of special properties, such as hardness, toughness, corrosion resistance, magnetizability, and ductility. Nonferrous alloys, mainly copper–nickel, bronze, and aluminum alloys, are much used in coinage. The distinction between an alloying metal and an impurity is sometimes subtle; in aluminum, for example, silicon may be considered an impurity or a valuable component, depending on the application, because silicon adds strength though it reduces corrosion resistance.

      The term fusible metals, or fusible alloys, denotes a group of alloys that have melting points below that of tin (232° C, 449° F). Most of these substances are mixtures of metals that by themselves have low melting points, such as tin, bismuth, and lead. Fusible alloys are used as solder, in safety sprinklers that automatically spray out water when the heat of a fire melts the alloy, and in fuses for interrupting an electrical circuit when the current becomes excessive.

      Many fusible alloys are formulated to melt at 90–100° C (194–212° F); for example, Darcet's alloy (50 parts bismuth, 25 lead, 25 tin) melts at 98° C. By replacing half the tin in Darcet's alloy with cadmium, the alloy Wood's metal, which melts at 70° C, is obtained. See also amalgam; ferroalloy; intermetallic compound.

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Universalium. 2010.

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  • Alloy — Al*loy , n. [OE. alai, OF. alei, F. aloyer, to alloy, alier to ally. See {Alloy}, v. t.] 1. Any combination or compound of metals fused together; a mixture of metals; for example, brass, which is an alloy of copper and zinc. But when mercury is… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • alloy — Alloy. s.m. Le prix de l or ou de l argent considerez en leur valeur intrinseque, ou bien selon que la matiere en est plus ou moins fine. Cette monnoye n est pas d un bon alloy, de bon alloy, C est à dire, est alterée, est meslée d autres metaux …   Dictionnaire de l'Académie française

  • Alloy — Al*loy , v. t. [imp. & p. p. {Alloyed}; p. pr. & vb. n. {Alloying}.] [F. aloyer, OF. alier, allier, later allayer, fr. L. aligare. See {Alloy}, n., {Ally}, v. t., and cf. {Allay}.] 1. To reduce the purity of by mixing with a less valuable… …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Alloy 20 — is a corrosion resistant nickel chromium molybdenum stainless steel alloy developed for applications involving sulfuric acid. Its corrosion resistance also finds other uses in the chemical, food, pharmaceutical, and plastics industries. Alloy 20… …   Wikipedia

  • Alloy — bezeichnet: Alloy Analyzer, ein in der Informatik und Softwaretechnik eingesetztes Programm Alloy Creek, ein Fluss im US Bundesstaat Montana Diese Seite ist eine Begriffsklärung zur Unterscheidung mehrerer mit demselben Wort bezeichneter Begriffe …   Deutsch Wikipedia

  • alloy — [n] mixture, usually of two metals admixture, adulterant, adulteration, amalgam, amalgamation, blend, combination, composite, compound, debasement, denaturant, fusion, hybrid, intermixture, reduction; concepts 260,476 alloy [v1] mix metals admix …   New thesaurus

  • alloy — [al′oi; ] also, and for v. usually [, ə loi′, aloi′] n. [ME alai < Anglo Fr alei (OFr aloi) < aleier: see ALLOY the vt.] 1. the relative purity of gold or silver; fineness 2. a substance that is a mixture, as by fusion, of two or more… …   English World dictionary

  • Alloy — Al*loy , v. t. To form a metallic compound. [1913 Webster] Gold and iron alloy with ease. Ure. [1913 Webster] …   The Collaborative International Dictionary of English

  • Alloy — Porté notamment dans le Pas de Calais et dans l Oise, c est sans doute une variante de Halloy, nom de communes de la Somme, du Pas de Calais et de l Oise. Signification probable : lieu où pousse le noisetier. On peut aussi envisager pour Alloy… …   Noms de famille

  • alloy — ► NOUN 1) a metal made by combining two or more metallic elements, especially to give greater strength or resistance to corrosion. 2) an inferior metal mixed with a precious one. ► VERB 1) mix (metals) to make an alloy. 2) spoil by adding… …   English terms dictionary

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

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