What are the benefits of an alloy?
Recyclers sort mixed-metal scraps into product-specific categories based on the alloy of the scrap metal. An alloy is a mixture of two or more elements in which the main component is a metal and the end result has metallic properties. Common examples of alloys are steel (iron and carbon), brass (copper and zinc), bronze (copper and tin) and various gold alloys (see gold karat analysis). There is a long list of alloys (one source states over 50,000 different metal combinations) many of which can be identifyed quickly and non-destructively with XRF Analzyers. What is generally tested for? Through specific combinations of metals and other elements, the resulting metals properties are enhanced from the originals. Different alloys offer different benefits; including increased hardness and strength, more/less conductivity, more resistance to corrosion or more desirable color and luster. These more desirable characteristics meet the needs of a wide range of applications and proper identificat
