3457. Wood's Patent Fusible Metal

3457.    Wood's Patent Fusible Metal melts between 150° and 160° Fahr. It consists of 3 parts cadmium, 4 tin, 8 lead, and 15 bismuth. It has a brilliant metallic lustre, and does not tarnish readily.

3458. The Most Fusible Alloy

3458. The Most Fusible Alloy. There is an alloy of bismuth, tin, and lead, which, from its very 1ow melting point, is called fusible metal. (See No. 3457 (Wood's Patent Fusible Metal)). Dr. YonHauer has found, however, that the addition of cadmium to the alloys of the above mentioned metals reduces their melting point still lower. An alloy of 4 volumes cadmium, with 5 volumes each tin, lead, and bismuth, is quite liquid at 150° Fahr. In parts by weight, the above would be 224 parts cadmium, 5171/2 lead, 295 tin, and 1050 bismuth. (See No. 52 (To Determine the Weight of a Body from its Specific Gravity)). An alloy of 3 volumes of cadmium with 4 each of tin, lead, and bismuth, fuses at 1531/2° Fahr, and an alloy of 1 equivalent of cadmium with two equivalents each of these three other metals, at 1551/2°, which is also the fusing point of an alloy of 1 part each of all the four metals. Dr. von Hauer made these alloys by fusing their ingredients in a covered porcelain crucible at the lowest practicable temperature. They all become pasty at lower temperatures than those given above; the temperatures quoted are those at which the alloys are perfectly fluid. It should be added that, unfortunately, all these alloys very rapidly oxidize when placed in water.

3459. Table of Alloys of Tin and Lead and their Melting Heats

3459. Table of Alloys of Tin and Lead and their Melting Heats.