A Study of Metallic Eutectics

All of the metals have definite melting points. When a metal is heated above the melting point, it exists as a liquid. Now if the melt is allowed to cool, it will solidify when a temperature corresponding to the melting point is reached. However, if one metal is added to another metal, both of which are mutually soluble in the liquid state, a certain effect can be noted. The melt will not solid­ify when the melting point of the pure metal is reached, but will freeze at a lower temperature.

Some Effects of the Addition of Tellurium to Lead Alloys

From the standpoint of its practical useful­ness, the most important characteristics of metallic lead are its cheapness, resistance to corrosion, plas­ticity, high specific gravity, low melting point, and its ability to form alloys in which some properties are modified by the addition of other elements, while other properties remain the same.