In this experiment, we will try to mix lead with aluminum in a crucible, and see what happens. As raw materials, we will use two pre-cast ingots (one lead, the other aluminum) each weighing about 500 grams. By the way, if you buy lead at a metal collection point, do not confuse it with zinc - they look very similar in appearance.
The main stages of the experiment
We throw the blanks into the crucible and send them to the hearth or muffle furnace - such an experiment cannot be repeated on a regular fire. Lead will melt first, and then you need to wait for the aluminum to melt. If a lot of slag forms on the surface, it must be removed.
Then add a mixture of soda and salt (one teaspoon each) to the molten mass and wait another 10 minutes. Then we remove the slag and fill the “two-component” metal into the prepared mold - in this case, you can use an empty gas can with a wide mouth or, for example, a bottle of hairspray (you will first need to trim the upper part).
After the metal has hardened, we take out the workpiece from the mold. A border immediately separates the eye that separates the layer of lead and aluminum. However, when you try to split the blank in half, nothing happens. So, we can conclude that the “docking” of the two metals was successful.
Now we try to process the workpiece on a lathe. If you are interested in what ultimately happened, watch the video on the site.
