Interesting differences between dictionaries as to the word alloy

[normspanners]

• cambridge dictionary

Meaning of “alloy” in the English Dictionary
See all translations
alloynoun [C or U]
UK US /ˈæl.ɔɪ/
metal that is made by mixing two or more metals, or a metaland another substance:Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc.




Oxford Advanced Dictionary

alloy

Line breaks: alloy
Definition of alloy in English:
noun
Pronunciation: /ˈalɔɪ/ 1
A metal made by combining two or more metallic elements, especially to give greater strength or resistance to corrosion:an alloy of nickel, bronze, and zinc

metallic elements, especially to give greater strength or resistance to corrosion:an alloy of nickel, bronze, and zinc[AS MODIFIER]: alloy wheels
inferior metal mixed with a precious one.



NO wonder we are confused ??

even the dictionaries cant agree

 

[AndyStobbs]

then there is the phrase 'cleaning out the toilets was not exactly an unalloyed joy for Martin'

Which crosses over from metalurgy into emotions.

Those two above are practically the same thing.

 

[Maker]

Is rust an alloy of iron and oxygen?

 

[normspanners]

Those two above are practically the same thing.

But the point is ;-

The first cambridge dict states mixing two metals OR metal and another substance

as apposed to

the oxford dict which states mixing two metallic elements but doesnt mention another substance such as carbon


So Maker's teacher was right if reading oxford dict but incorrect if reading from cambridge dict
personally I would go with the Cambridge (edited sorry) interpretation. IMO

 

[piman]

Hello Normspanners,

the second definition mentions alloy wheels, which really means all metal wheels so the term is meaningless, but universally used even by insurance companies who normally are very careful with definitions.

Alec

 

[normspanners]

I wonder if that is why the americans started using aluuuminum by putting loads of 'U's in their pronunciation / definitions to differentiate?

the second definition mentions alloy wheels, which really means all metal wheels so the term is meaningless, but universally used even by insurance companies who normally are very careful with definitions.

Good point both ally and alloy are put down to the actual name of 'aluminium wheels'

 

[rikrobson]

well Cambridge has to be correct as steel is an alloy of iron and Carbon, Silicon is also alloyed in aluminium and titanium, there must be other instances.

There's probably more metalurgists in Cambridge than Oxford

 

[fixerupper]

I supose "Alloy wheels" has become short for "Aluminium alloy wheels "in common usage ...
I don't know anything about metalurgy so a question for the boffins .. is pure aluminium used for anything or allways in an alloy ?...jeff

 

[PTvor]

According to Wikipedia:

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alloy

"An alloy is a mixture of metals or a mixture of a metal and another element...............",

So that covers things like brass (copper and zinc), solders (all sorts but typically lead and tin), phosphor bronze, steels, and other things like lead shot and car battery electrodes, which are lead hardened with antimony or arsenic etc.

With all its faults, I suggest that Wikipedia is striving for a technical definition and the dictionaries, compiled by English scholars, are giving a good enough general definition.

 

[rikrobson]

So carbon silicon phosphorous arsenic boron. Thats five non metallic alloy components

 

[Maker]

So carbon silicon phosphorous arsenic boron. Thats five non metallic alloy components

They're all "metalloids".

 

[piman]

Hello Fixerupper,

few metals are used in their pure form, copper may be an exception for cables and also wonder if aluminium is also used pure in cables, I'm thinking of overhead line cable which is aluminium with a steel core for strength. (Or at least it used to be, it's a long time since I was in that industry.)

Alec

 

[rikrobson]

although there is no strict definition of metaloids and aluminuim can be classed as one.

 

[bill_gj]

I supose "Alloy wheels" has become short for "Aluminium alloy wheels "in common usage ...
I don't know anything about metalurgy so a question for the boffins .. is pure aluminium used for anything or allways in an alloy ?...jeff

Most 'pure' metals are usually useless in the context of engineering materials, it is the added bits that usually change the basic properties of the base metal into something usable in engineering terms.
Whether its the carbon in iron to make steel, the silicon in aluminium to produce an 'alloy' (Duralumin, for example) or the 70% copper, 29% zinc and 1% tin in 'Admiralty Metal' - a type of brass.
In semiconductors too. Silicon and Germanium have to have impurities to turn them from a non-conductor into a semi-conductor and make them usable electronic materials.

 

[Maker]

Pure ally is more conductive than its alloys so I would imagine cables would be pure.



Any definition of alloy should specify that "mixing" means metallic bonding, (this rules out ionic compounds (oxides, chlorides, etc)).

 

[rikrobson]

Duralumin is 4% copper not silicon

 

[bc30se]

Wordweb:

noun
1. A mixture containing two or more metallic elements or metallic and nonmetallic elements usually fused together or dissolving into each other when molten
2. The state of impairing the quality or reducing the value of something

verb
(metallurgy) lower in value by increasing the base-metal content



that's enought I suppose..

 

[normspanners]

Sorry I omitted to put in the first post or title, that this a follow on from the post
50x50x3 alloy hollow section. http://www.mig-welding.co.uk/forum/threads/50x50x3-alloy-hollow-section.57113/#post-689474 where the OP wanted aluminium box
because different people were reading it in different ways, I and a few other took it to mean alloy steel and Makers teacher had said that carbon steel was not alloy because carbon was not a metallic substance.
I had already quoted wikipedia there. But thought that I would look up the def in the dictionary but got two different answers
We also went on to discuss ally wheels etc etc.
But as per other threads deviating and us getting a mild warning, I posted a separate discussion.

 

[normspanners]

well Cambridge has to be correct as steel is an alloy of iron and Carbon,

But that was part of the discussion as Maker RM teacher said it coundnt be an alloy because it was not a metal so wasnt actually mixed
My def is that, it is the mixture of the elements iron and carbon which creates what is known as an alloy, and it is much harder and stronger than pure iron. Carbon and many other elements can be combined with iron to form various types of alloys, all of which are referred to as steel.

 

[Maker]

But that was part of the discussion as Maker RM teacher said it coundnt be an alloy because it was not a metal so wasnt actually mixed

He wasn't doubting iron and carbon is mixed to make steel, he was disputing that it was an alloy, because he's an idiot( he also told us stainless was non-ferrous because ithe piece he had was not magnetic).