Why are pure metals softer than the alloys of same metal?

Answer 1

Alloys are not necessarily harder or stronger than pure metals. For example gallium and aluminum form an alloy that is extremely weak. Many of the alloys we know of are stronger than pure metals because those are the ones we find most useful. In most pure metals, there will be gaps in between atoms. In many alloys we fill in those gaps with some other type of atom, adding extra support.

Answer 2

why alloys are harder than pure metalsMaterials are harder the more difficult it is to make their atoms slide past each other. This is relatively easy in pure metals because all atoms are the same size, and "slip planes" along which movement is easy are present. Alloys contain 1 or more other types of metal atoms which don't fit nicely into the parent metal's crystal structure and make the slip planes "bumpy" - so they are harder to slide along = harder.

Some of the metals in their pure form are softer by nature. They are to be made stronger by adding suitable elements like sliver and copper to gold

When it comes to Cast Iron this metal is hard. By adding carbon, nickle ,silver etc the Iron can be made malleable. The Metallurgy will be the subject to deal with this.

Answer 3

Some metals are soft because they have less delocalised electrons in between the layers of positive ions. the delocalised electrons stop the repulsion between the two layers of positive ions. in soft metals, less delocalised electrons are present. this leads to smaller forces of attractions. An example of soft metal is lead.

D-block metals are hard metals. this is because they have more delocalised electrons in between the layers of positive ions. more delocalised electron (negatively charged) are strongly attracted to the layers of positive ions.

Answer 4

Pure metals are malleable because the atoms can roll and slide past each other without losing the structural strength.

In an alloy there are small numbers of different sized atoms, which get in the way of the sliding, so they make the metal less malleable. Adding more carbon to iron makes it harder and initially stronger, but adding too much makes it brittle. You add the right amount to get the porperties you want.

Answer 5

In pure metals, the layers of atoms can slide over each other easily thus they are soft and malleable. In alloys, the introduction of different metal atoms (which would be of a different size) disrupts the arrangement and the layers would be unable to slide over each other as easily, thus alloys would be harder. This is why alloys rather than pure metals are used to make aircraft parts.