This article is a compilation of binary alloy phase diagrams for which cadmium (Cd) is the first named element in the binary pair. The diagrams are presented with element compositions in weight percent. The atomic percent compositions are given in a secondary scale. For each binary system, a table of crystallographic data is provided that includes the composition, Pearson symbol, space group, and prototype for each phase.

This article is a compilation of ternary alloy phase diagrams for which cadmium (Cd) is the first-named element in the ternary system. The diagrams are presented with element compositions in weight percent. The article includes 4 phase diagrams: Cd-Sb-Sn isothermal section at 212 °C; Cd-Sb-Sn liquidus projection; Cd-Sb-Sn isothermal section at 175 °C; and Cd-Sb-Sn isothermal section at 20 °C.

Environmental and worker health regulations have increased the costs associated with cadmium coating application and cadmium-beating waste disposal, thus creating economic incentives for industrial users to seek cadmium plating replacements. This article presents a cadmium replacement identification matrix that includes information on the specifications, corrosion control performance, environment-assisted cracking, coating lubricity, environmental and worker health regulations, and cost and performance factors for various replacement processes.

Electrodeposits of cadmium are used to protect steel and cast iron against corrosion. This article provides an overview of the surface preparation of, and brighteners used in, cyanide baths. It focuses on the anode system, current density, deposition rates, and bath temperature of cadmium plating with attention to the materials of construction and equipment used. The article provides a description of the selection of plating method with examples, applications, and several postplating processes of cadmium plating.

This article discusses the specimen preparation techniques for zinc and its alloys and zinc-coated specimens, namely, sectioning, mounting, grinding and polishing, and etching. It describes the characteristics of lead, cadmium, iron, copper, titanium, aluminum, magnesium, and tin, which are present in the microstructure of zinc alloys. The article also provides information on microexamination that helps to determine the dendrite arm spacing, as well as the grain size, grain boundaries, and grain counts.

Metal contamination of the environment reflects both natural sources and industrial activity, affecting human health. This article begins with a discussion on the level of metal exposure resulting in toxicological effects, the factors influencing toxicity of metals, and carcinogenicity of metal compounds. It discusses some commonly used chelating agents for treating metal intoxication, and clinical effectiveness in treating poisoning by different metals. The metals discussed are grouped into four categories: (1) major toxic metals with multiple effects, including arsenic, beryllium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury, and nickel; (2) essential metals with potential for toxicity, including cobalt, copper, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, and zinc; (3) metals with toxicity related to medical therapy, including aluminum, bismuth, gallium, gold, lithium, and platinum; and (4) minor toxic metals, including antimony, barium, indium, magnesium, silver, tellurium, thallium, tin, titanium, uranium, and vanadium. The main factors included in the discussion are their disposition, toxicity, biological factors and treatment.

This article discusses the properties of threaded fasteners made from carbon and low-alloy steels containing a maximum of 0.55% carbon. It provides guidelines for the selection of steels for bolts, studs, and nuts intended for use at temperatures between -50 and 370 deg C. The article also discusses steels rated for service above 370 deg C and describes internationally recognized grade designations. The specifications provided can be used to outline fastener requirements, control manufacturing processes, and establish functional or performance standards. The most commonly used protective metal coatings for ferrous metal fasteners; zinc, cadmium, and aluminum; are described as well.

Steel springs are made in many types, shapes, and sizes, ranging from delicate hairsprings for instrument meters to massive buffer springs for railroad equipment. The primary focus of this article is small steel springs that are cold wound from wire. Wire springs are of four types: compression springs (including die springs), extension springs, torsion springs, and wire forms. Chemical composition, mechanical properties, surface quality, availability, and cost are the principal factors to be considered in selecting steel for springs. Both carbon and alloy steels are used extensively. The three types of wire used in the greatest number of applications of cold formed springs are hard-drawn spring wire, oil tempered wire and music wire. Residual stresses can increase or decrease the strength of a spring material, depending on their direction. Steel springs are often electroplated with zinc or cadmium to protect them from corrosion and abrasion. Although some hot-wound springs are made of steels that are also used for cold-wound springs, hot-wound springs are usually much larger, which results in significant metallurgical differences. All spring design is based on Hooke’s law; charts and formulas are available to aid in the design of springs.

Copper can be electrodeposited from numerous electrolytes. Cyanide and pyrophosphate alkalines, along with sulfate and fluoborate acid baths, are the primary electrolytes used in copper plating. This article provides information on the chemical composition, plating baths, and operating conditions of electrodeposition processes for chromium plating, nickel plating, iron plating, cadmium plating, zinc plating, indium plating, lead plating, tin plating, silver plating, gold plating, brass plating, bronze plating, tin-lead plating, zinc-iron plating, and zinc-nickel plating. The article also discusses selective plating, electroforming, and other processes and where they are typically used.

This article discusses the occupational health hazards related to industrial protective coating application and removal. It explains the health hazards associated with coating constituents such as lead, cadmium, chromium, arsenic, silica, and asbestos. The article also discusses hazard evaluation, hazard controls, Occupational Safety and Health Administration standards, and industry consensus standards. It concludes with a description of containment systems to prevent environmental exposures from industrial paint removal projects.

Fusible alloys, eutectic and noneutectic, include a group of binary, ternary, quaternary, and quinary alloys containing bismuth, lead, tin, cadmium, and indium that melt at relatively low temperatures. This article describes the composition and mechanical properties of these alloys and lists the values of their composition and melting temperatures.

This article describes the specimen preparation steps for tin and tin alloys, and for harder base metals which are coated with these materials with illustrations. The steps discussed include sectioning, mounting, grinding, polishing, and etching. The article provides information on etchants for tin and tin alloys in tabular form. It presents the procedure recommended for electron microscopy to determine the nature of the intermetallic compound formed by the reaction between tin or tin-lead coatings on various substrates. The article concludes with an illustration of the microstructures of tin-copper, tin-lead, tin-lead-cadmium, tin-antimony, tin-antimony-copper, tin-antimony-copper-lead, tin-silver, tin-indium, tin-zinc, and tin-zinc-copper systems.

This article discusses different types of mechanical fasteners, including threaded fasteners, rivets, blind fasteners, pin fasteners, special-purpose fasteners, and fasteners used with composite materials. It describes the origins and causes of fastener failures and with illustrative examples. Fatigue fracture in threaded fasteners and fretting in bolted machine parts are also discussed. The article provides a description of the different types of corrosion, such as atmospheric corrosion and liquid-immersion corrosion, in threaded fasteners. It also provides information on stress-corrosion cracking, hydrogen embrittlement, and liquid-metal embrittlement of bolts and nuts. The article explains the most commonly used protective metal coatings for ferrous metal fasteners. Zinc, cadmium, and aluminum are commonly used for such coatings. The article also illustrates the performance of the fasteners at elevated temperatures and concludes with a discussion on fastener failures in composites.

Commercial zinc plating is accomplished by a number of distinctively different systems: cyanide baths, alkaline noncyanide baths, and acid chloride baths. This article focuses on the composition, advantages, disadvantages, operating parameters, and applications of each of the baths. It provides information on the control of thicknesses of zinc specified for service in various indoor and outdoor atmospheres and on the similarities between cadmium and zinc plating.

This article describes the allotropic modification and atmospheric corrosion of pure tin. Corrosion of pure tin due to oxidation reaction, and reaction with the other gases, water, acids, bases, and other liquid media, is discussed. The article provides information on corrosion behavior on soft solders, pewter, bearing alloys, tin-copper alloys, and tin-silver alloys. It reviews the influence of corrosion on immersion tin coating, tin-cadmium alloy coatings, tin-cobalt coatings, tin-copper coatings, tin-lead coatings, tin-nickel coatings, and tin-zinc coatings. The general properties and corrosion resistance of tinplate are summarized. The article also describes the methods of corrosion testing of coatings; these include an analysis of coating thickness measurements, porosity and rust resistance testing, solderability test, and specific special tests.

Embrittlement that occurs below the melting point of the embrittling species is known as solid metal induced embrittlement (SMIE) of metals. This article provides a discussion on the characteristics and investigations of SMIE, liquid metal induced embrittlement, and delayed failure. It also describes the mechanism of SMIE.

Liquid metal induced embrittlement (LMIE) is the reduction of the fracture resistance of a solid material during exposure to a liquid metal. This article discusses the mechanisms and occurrence condition of LMIE and describes the effects of metallurgical factors, such as grain size, temperature and strain rate, stress, inert carriers, and fatigue, on LMIE. It provides a detailed discussion on LMIE in ferrous and nonferrous metals and their alloys. In addition, the article highlights the ways of preventing embrittlement in metals and alloys.

This article discusses the various factors that affect the corrosion performance of electroplated coatings. It describes the effects of environment and the deposition process on substrate coatings. The article provides a discussion on the electrochemical techniques capable of predicting the corrosion performance of a plated part. It reviews the designs of coating systems for optimal protection of the substrate. The article also discusses controlled weathering tests and accelerated tests used to predict and determine the relative durability of the coating.

Metal-induced embrittlement is a phenomenon in which the ductility or fracture stress of a solid metal is reduced by surface contact with another metal in either liquid or solid form. This article summarizes the characteristics of solid metal induced embrittlement (SMIE) and liquid metal induced embrittlement (LMIE). It describes the unique features that assist in arriving at a clear conclusion whether SMIE or LMIE is the most probable cause of the problem. The article briefly reviews some commercial alloy systems where LMIE or SMIE has been documented. It also provides some examples of cracking due to these phenomena, either in manufacturing or in service.

Metal-induced embrittlement is a phenomenon in which the ductility or the fracture stress of a solid metal is reduced by surface contact with another metal in either the liquid or solid form. This article summarizes some of the characteristics of liquid-metal- and solid-metal-induced embrittlement. This phenomenon shares many of these characteristics with other modes of environmentally induced cracking, such as hydrogen embrittlement and stress-corrosion cracking. The discussion covers the occurrence, failure analysis, and service failures of the embrittlement. The article also briefly reviews some commercial alloy systems in which liquid-metal-induced embrittlement or solid-metal-induced embrittlement has been documented and describes some examples of cracking due to these phenomena, either in manufacturing or in service.