Wood's Metal
Brycelynn Moses
How was it discovered?
Barnabas Wood, an American dentist and inventor discovered this alloy in 1860.
How is it manufactured?
- Heat the four metals together.
- Stir them constantly.
- It will melt at 158° F.
- The mold is placed in water and is the metal melted and into all of the impressions of the mold.
What is the cost of this alloy?
For 150 grams of wood's metal, it costs $33.00.
three physical properties of wood's metal
1. Easily bent into different shapes.
2. Has a silver-white color.
3. Its luster is like polished silver.
three chemical properties of wood's metal
1. Atoms are easily broken apart.
2. Has a very low melting point.
3. Slightly toxic.
what is wood's metal used for?
~ heating baths in labs
~ low-melting solder
~ low-temperature casting metal
~ valve in fire sprinkler systems
~ a filler for bending thin-walled metal tubes to prevent them from collapsing
~ making apertures and blocks for medical radiation treatment
~ making metal inlays in wood
~ repairing antiques
Interesting fact
The United Kingdom uses medical gas cylinders that have a seal made out of Wood's Metal which will melt in a fire. This will allow the gas to escape and reduce the risk of a gas explosion.
Woods metal - low melting point metal (Lipowitz's alloy, Cerrobend, Bendalloy, Pewtalloy, MCP 158)