Interstitial Alloys
- Metals can be melted, physically mixed in their liquid states, and cooled together to form a homogeneous mixture called an alloy
- Alloys can also be made from metals mixed with non-metals such as carbon
- The properties of an alloy are often different than those of the metals it contains
- An interstitial alloy is composed of atoms with vastly different radii
- The larger atoms are arranged in an orderly lattice and the smaller atoms occupy the interstices or spaces between the larger atoms
- Steel, composed of iron and carbon, is an example of an interstitial alloy
Diagram of an interstitial alloy
Diagram of steel showing carbon atoms occupying the interstices in a lattice of iron atoms
Exam Tip
Alloys containing elements found in the first two periods of the periodic table are typically interstitial alloys.
