CHEMISTRY GLOSSARY

alpaca    →   alpaka

Alpaca (alpaka) or Nickel Silver is the generic name for any of a range of non-precious bright silvery-grey metal alloys, composed of copper, nickel and zinc. Despite its name it contains no real silver. It is also commonly called German Silver.

There are many different formulations of alloys which fall within the general term of Nickel Silver. All contain copper, nickel and zinc, while some formulations may additionally include antimony, tin, lead or cadmium. A representative formulation is 65 % copper, 18 % nickel, 17 % zinc. Nickel Silver is widely used for the commercial production of industrial components, housewares, flatware and cutlery, and as the metal substrate for silver-plated goods.

aluminium    →   aluminij

Aluminium was discovered by Friedrich Wöhler (Germany) in 1827. The origin of the name comes from the Latin word alumen meaning alum. It is soft, lightweight, silvery-white metal. Exposed surfaces quickly form protective oxide coating. Metal reacts violently with oxidants. Third most abundant element in the earth’s crust. Aluminium is the most abundant metal to be found in the earth’s crust, but is never found free in nature. Aluminium is obtained by electrolysis from bauxite. Used for many purposes from airplanes to beverage cans. Too soft in its pure form so less than 1 % of silicon or iron is added, which hardens and strengthens it.

amalgam    →   amalgam

Amalgams are metals alloyed with mercury. They can be solid or liquid, depending upon the mass ratio of thawed metal. Amalgam examples are gold/mercury, silver/mercury and copper/mercury all of which are used in dentistry.

americium    →   americij

Americium was discovered by Glenn T. Seaborg, Ralph A. James, Stanley G. Thompson and Albert Ghiorso (USA) in 1944. Named for the American continent. It is silvery-white, artificially produced radioactive metal. Americium was produced by bombarding plutonium with neutrons. Americium-241 is currently used in smoke detectors.

coagulation    →   koaguliranje

Coagulation is a process of colloid particles merging into bigger ones. By removing the charge form a colloid ion, by increasing the temperature or by increasing electrolyte concentration, colloid particles will gather into bigger groups precipitate will emerge. Precipitate that is formed in this way (coagulate) is amorphic and considerably polluted with adsorbed pollutants.

curium    →   kurij

Curium was discovered by Glenn T. Seaborg, Ralph A. James and Albert Ghiorso (USA) in 1944. Named in honour of Pierre and Marie Curie. It is silvery, malleable, synthetic radioactive metal. So radioactive it glows in the dark. Curium was made by bombarding plutonium with helium ions.

dissolved substance    →   otopljena tvar

Dissolved substance is a solid, liquid or gas matter dissolved in a solvent. Depending upon the particle size of dissolved substance, solutions differ in properties and can be divided into real solutions (diameter of particles is smaller than 1 nm), colloid solutions (diameter of particles is from 1 nm to 200 nm) and suspensions (diameter of particles is greater than 200 nm).

antimony    →   antimon

Antimony has been known since ancient times. The origin of the name comes from the Latin word stibium meaning mineral stibnite. It is hard, brittle, silvery-white semimetal. Stable in dry air. Toxic by ingestion or inhalation. Antimony is found in stibnite (Sb₂S₃) and in valentinite (Sb₂O₃). It is alloyed with other metals to increase their hardness. Also in the manufacture of a few special types of semiconductor devices. Also in plastics and chemicals. A few kinds of over-the-counter cold and flu remedies use antimony compounds.

ball mill    →   kuglični mlin

Ball mill is a grinder for reducing hard materials to powder. The grinding is carried out by the pounding and rolling of a charge of steel or ceramic balls carried within the cylinder. The cylinder rotates at a relatively slow speed, allowing the balls to cascade through the mill base, thus grinding or dispersing the materials.

Type of ball mills, centrifugal and planetary mills, are devices used to rapidly grind materials to colloidal fineness (approximately 1 μm and below) by developing high grinding energy via centrifugal and/or planetary action.

barium    →   barij

Barium was discovered by Sir Humphry Davy (England) in 1808. The origin of the name comes from the Greek word barys meaning heavy. It is soft, slightly malleable, silvery-white metal. Attacked by air and water. Soluble compounds toxic by ingestion. Barium is found in barytine (BaSO₄) and witherite (BaCO₃), never found in pure form due to its reactivity. Must be stored under kerosene to remain pure. Barite, or barium sulfate (BaSO₄), when ground is used as a filter for rubber, plastics and resins. It is insoluble in water and so is used in X-rays of the digestive system. Barium nitrate, Ba(NO₃)₂, burns brilliant green and is used in fireworks.