Non-Ferrous Metal: Types and Applications

Metals have become an important part of people's lives. They are used for construction, manufacturing, machinery, tools, equipment, jewelry, and more. But, when you hear the word "metal," the only things that you remember are "Iron" or "Steel" or both. However, many other metals are used for their unique attributes and characteristics. These metals are known as Non-Ferrous metals.

They are called non-ferrous metals because they do not have iron(fe) as the primary constituent. In simpler words, they have very little or no iron in them. The high temperature can lower their strength and increase their shrinkage compared to ferrous metals. Thus, they are widely used in rolling, forging, casting, welding, and other reasons. Some non-ferrous metals are better alternatives to iron or steel for engineering and construction purposes, but they relatively cost more. Thus, they are used in case of special and specific requirements.

Non-Ferrous Metals: Types

Non-Ferrous metals are used in all sorts of industries, from construction to jewelry production. Although, each type has its unique attributes that make them suitable for a certain kind of industry.

• Aluminium: Aluminum is a corrosion-resistant metal that is a relatively prevalent component of the earth's crust. It was originally discovered as a metal in 1825. By creating a thin film of oxide at the top, aluminum protects itself from corrosion when exposed to moist air. It has the qualities of non-ferrous metals such as:

• High Ductility

• Good Light Reflector

• High Tensile Strength

• Good Heat and Electricity Conductor

• Resistant to organic acids

• Corrosion Resistance

2.    Copper: Copper is one of the most used non-ferrous metals. It is considered to have high joining properties and can be used in methods like welding, soldering, brazing, and riveting, with a melting point of 1083°C, copper brittles right before melting. It has also been one of the major constituents in the creation of many alloys. It is usually recovered from copper ores like copper pyrites.

Over the 100 years, copper and its many alloys have been employed in engineering and various other applications. Some of its characteristics are:

● Highly Malleable and Ductile

● Can be forged, drawn, soldered, or rolled into wires

● Resistive to Corrosion

● Good Conductor of Heat and Electricity

3.    Nickel: Discovered in 1750, Nickel is the strongest non-ferrous metal with 4280-8400 kg/cm² of tensile strength. Just like aluminum and copper, Nickel is also alloyed with other metals to gain higher properties for industrial purposes. It is found in the sulfide ores known as pentlandite. Some of the attributes of Nickel are as follows:

● Highly Malleable and Ductile

● Very High Tensile Strength

● High Performance in High or Low Temperature

● Corrosion Resistance

4.    Magnesium: Despite not being highly resistant to corrosion, Magnesium is still useful in engineering. It is because Magnesium is the lightest metal and is beneficial in structural engineering. Some of the qualities of Magnesium are:

● Highly Thermal Conductivity

● High Thermal Expansion Coefficient

● Poor resistance to corrosion

● Lightest Metal - Gravity of 1.74

There are many more non-ferrous metals with different attributes and characteristics that aid industry-specific needs.

Non-Ferrous Metals: Applications

While non-ferrous metals are widely used in various industries, many are highly demanded in specific industries.

1.    Aluminium:

● Used for manufacturing Electric Cable, reflectors, and mirrors.

● Airplanes, trains, buses, ships, and cars use aluminum for structural purposes.

● Used for sheathing, roofing, frames, foils, and another house improvement/development work.

● Used for manufacturing chemical and food industry equipment, cookers, utensils, etc.

● It is also used as a deoxidizer for iron and steel.

2.    Copper:

● Used for manufacturing electric wires, terminals, cables, and connectors.

● Used for plumbing pipes and tools.

● Used as a coating for currency in various countries.

● Also used for decorative work.

3.    Nickel:

● Used for manufacturing cryogenic tanks.

● Used for manufacturing combustion chamber parts in the aerospace industry

● Used to manufacture rechargeable batteries.

● Used as a coating for decorative and industrial purposes.

● Also used to manufacture marine equipment.

4.    Magnesium:

● Used for manufacturing aircraft components.

● Used in the manufacture of ladders, bicycles, and other sporting equipment.

● Used for manufacturing automotive parts.

● Used in the manufacture of laptops, television, mobiles, etc.

Ferrous metals and non-ferrous metals both serve a variety of purposes in every industry. However, at times there can be tons of difficulty for businesses to procure these metals. That's when OfBusiness comes in for the rescue.

OfBusiness is an online B2B business portal that specializes in procurement and credit services. We offer procurement services for all industrial requirements, including non-ferrous metals like aluminum, copper, Nickel, Magnesium, etc. Our services are available across India to ensure maximum reach for our clients. With a few easy steps, you can get your quotation quickly without leaving any details.

So what are you waiting for? Get your procurement quotation now!!