Lipowitz metal

An interesting property of cadmium is its effect in alloys. In combination with certain metals, it lowers the melting point. Some common low-melting-point alloys are Lichtenberg s metal, Abel s metal, Lipowitz metal, Newton s metal, and Wood s metal. The Wood s metal alloy melts at 158°F (70°C), and is used in fire sprinkler systems as a plug. 

Ref 1), The term is generally applied to alloys melting below 450°F(233°C). They can be binary, ternary, quaternary, or quinary mixts of Bi, Pb, Sn, Cd, Indium and less frequently other metals. Eutectic alloys are relatively few in number and are the particular compns that have definite and minimum mp as compared with other mixts of the same metals. Table I of Ref 2 lists 17 eutectics of mp s ranging from 46.89° to 248.0°C. Of these the Lipowitz s eutectic, melting at 70.0° is well known. It consists of Bt 50, -Pb 27, Sn 13 Cd 10%. Table II of Ref 2 lists 13 non-eu ectic alloys with mp s ranging from 64.0 to 1J9°C. Table III of Ref 2 lists eight common fusible alloys of mp s 70 to 138°. Of... 

Some common alloys include Wood s metal (mp 71°), contg Bi 4,Pb 2, Sn 1 Cd 1 part Rose s metal(mp 93.8) contg Bi 2, Pb 1 Sn 1 part and Lipowitz alloy(mp 60-5), contg Bi 15, Pb 8, Sn 4 Cd 3 parts. Alloys of Bi melting si above 100° are used in automatic sprinkling systems less fusible alloys are used as safety plugs in boilers(Ref 2). Bi alloys also have important applications in industry for castings, other miscellaneous uses, and in certain types of ammunition(Ref 1)... 

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