A metal is a solid material which means typically hard, non-transparent and has good electrical and thermal conductivity. Metals are generally malleable because they can be hammered permanently out of shape without breaking or cracking. These are fusible, i.e., able to be fused or melted, and ductile, i.e., able to be drawn out into thin wire. In the periodic table, about 91 of the 118 elements are metals.
Pure metals possess low strength and do not have the required properties. So, alloys are produced by melting or sintering two or more metals and metal or non-metal, together. Metals and alloys are further classified into two major kinds namely ferrous metals and non-ferrous metals. In this chapter, we will be discussing the classification of metals, their manufacturing process, and other related aspects.
Ferrous Metals
Those metals which contain iron as a major content are called ferrous metals. These metals are attracted by the magnet. Ferrous metals of different properties are used for various purposes.
Some ferrous metals are as follows
- Pig iron
- Cast iron
- Wrought iron
- Steel
1. Pig Iron
In pig iron, iron is 92 to 95%, carbon is 3 to 4%, and some impurities such as sulfur, phosphorous, silicon, etc. Pig iron is obtained by the chemical reduction of iron ore. This process of reduction of the iron ore to pig iron is known as smelting.