Page:Experimental researches in chemistry and.djvu/78

1820.] We attempted to make imitations of the meteoric irons with perfect success. To some good iron (horseshoe nails) were added 3 per cent. of pure nickel; these were enclosed in a crucible and exposed to a high temperature in the air furnace for some hours. The metals were fused, and on examining the button, the nickel was found in combination with the iron. The alloy was taken to the forge, and proved under the hammer to be quite as malleable and pleasant to work as pure iron; the colour, when polished, rather whiter. This specimen, together with a small bar of meteoric iron, have been exposed to a moist atmosphere; they are both a little rusted. In this case it was omitted to expose a piece of pure iron with them; it is probable that, under these circumstances, the pure iron would have been more acted upon.

The same success attended in making the alloy to imitate the Siberian meteoric iron agreeably to Mr. Children's analysis. We fused some of the same good iron with 10 per cent. nickel; the metals were found perfectly combined, but less malleable, being disposed to crack under the hammer. The colour when polished had a yellow tinge. A piece of this alloy has been exposed to moist air for a considerable time, together with a piece of pure iron; they are both a little rusted, not, however, to the same extent; that with the nickel being but slightly acted upon, comparatively to the action on the pure iron: it thus appears that nickel, when combined with iron, has some effect in preventing oxidation, though certainly not to the extent that has at times been attributed to it. It is a curious fact, that the same quantity of the nickel alloyed with steel, instead of preventing its rusting, appeared to accelerate it very rapidly.

Platinum and rhodium have, in the course of these experiments, been alloyed with iron, but these compounds do not appear to possess any very interesting properties. With gold we have not made the experiment. The alloys of other metals with iron, as far as our experience goes, do not promise much usefulness. The results are very different when steel is used; it is only, however, of a few of its compounds that we are prepared to give any account.

Together with some others of the metal, the following have been alloyed with both English and Indian steel, and in various