An alloy is a mixture of two or more metals or a mixture of two or more metals and a non-metal.
Displayed below is a listing of about 30 common alloys along with their composition and their applications. This listing is just meant to be a quick reference but at least it will allow you to familiarize yourself that brass is an alloy of copper and zinc whereas bronze consists of copper and tin.
| Alloy | Composition | Applications |
|---|---|---|
| Alnico | aluminum 8-12% nickel 15-26% cobalt 5-24% copper 6% iron 50% or more |
Loudspeaker magnets; electric guitar pickup magnets |
| Amalgam | mercury 45-55% silver tin copper zinc |
Dental fillings |
| Babbitt metal “white metal” |
tin 90% antimony 7-15% copper 4-10% |
Used for coating machine bearings to reduce friction |
| Brass | copper 65-90% zinc 10-35% |
Door locks and bolts, brass musical instruments, central heating pipes |
| Bronze | copper 78-95% tin 5-22% |
Statues, musical instruments |
| Cast iron | Iron 96-98% carbon 1.8-4% silicon 1-3% |
Bridges, cannon, engine blocks, track wheels, crankshafts, heavy-duty cookware |
| Cupro-nickel copper nickel |
copper 75% nickel 25% |
American coins |
| Duralumin | Aluminum 94% copper 4.5-5% |
Automobile and aircraft body parts, military equipment |
| Gunmetal | Copper 80-90% tin 3-10% zinc 2-3% phosphorus |
Guns, decorative items |
| Invar | Iron 64% nickel 36% | Clock pendulums, scientific instruments Materials that need heat expansion resistance (Name derived from ‘invariable’) |
| Magnox | Magnesium aluminum |
Nuclear reactors (name derived from ‘magnesium non-oxidising’) |
| Monel | Nickel 52-67% copper |
Corrosion resistant and acid resistant uses |
| Nichrome | Nickel 80% chromium 20% |
Heating elements in electric irons, hair dryers; igniters for fireworks and explosives |
| Nitinol | Nickel 50-55% titanium 45-50% |
Applications requring shape-memory and superelastacity; temperature switches |
| Pewter | Tin 85-99% antimony 5-10% copper 2% bismuth |
Candlesticks, goblets, steins, napkin rings, wastebaskets, picture frames, vases |
| Solder | Tin 60-63% lead 37-40% |
Connecting electrical components into circuits |
| Steel Low-carbon |
Iron carbon 0.05-.25% |
Nuts, bolts, screws, nails, ferrite |
| Steel Medium-carbon |
Iron carbon 0.3-0.5% | Car parts, hand tools (screwdrivers, pliers), crankshafts, railway wheels |
| Steel High-carbon |
Iron carbon 0.6-1% | Springs, aircraft landing gear, cutting tools |
| Steel Ultra-high-carbon |
Iron carbon 1.25-2% | Knives, axles |
| Steel | Iron 80-98% carbon 0.2-2% |
Buildings, car and airplane parts, and many other uses |
| Stainless Steel | Iron 50%+ chromium 10-30% nickel aluminum titanium |
Jewelry, surgical tools, tableware |
| Stellite | Cobalt 67% chromium 28% tungsten 4% nickel 1% |
Coating for cutting tools such as saw teeth, lathes, and chainsaws |
| Sterling silver | Silver 92.5% copper 7.5% |
Cutlery, jewelry, medical tools, musical instruments |
| Superalloys | Nickel, Iron-Nickel and Cobalt alloys |
High-temperature-resistance, used in aeronautics and aerospace industry |
| White gold (18 carat) |
Gold 75% palladium 17% silver 4% copper 4% |
Jewelry |
| Wood’s metal | Bismuth 50% lead 26.7% tin 13.3% cadmium 10% |
Melting element in fire sprinkler systems |