Formation of Alloys at Room Temperature

Abstract

THE formation of alloys at room temperature was observed by Hund and co-workers, using co-reduction of metal salts by alkaline formaldehyde solution in the case of silver–gold¹, gold–mercury² and silver–mercury³. Kulifay⁴, by giving a large number of examples, showed that the formation of intermetallics and other compounds by co-reduction at boiling point, using hydrazine or hypophosphorus acid, is a general phenomenon. Holt⁵ also showed that alloys are formed by co-reduction at 50° C using sodium borohydride in the case of platinum–gold, platinum–iridium, palladium–gold, platinum–cobalt, platinum–nickel and platinum–copper.