Nonferrous Materials and Their Heat Treatment

Nonferrous metals and alloys are increasingly used today because of their numerous superior properties over ferrous materials. They constitute lightweight metals and high-strength lightweight alloys. Although they are more expensive as compared to ferrous materials, but they offer properties like better corrosion resistance, higher thermal and electrical conductivity, lower density, relative ease of fabrication and wide colour choices. They are mostly used in the alloyed form. However, a few nonferrous metals such as copper and aluminium are used in their pure states for making electricity conducting wires. Important nonferrous materials include aluminium, copper, lead, tin and zinc, and their alloys.