Silver alloys containing
copper and
germanium e.g. about 1 wt % Ge and of very
low copper content e.g. about 0.8 wt % Cu can be
precipitation hardened to 65 HV or above, whereas alloys of similar
copper content and not containing
germanium remain soft. In an embodiment, a silver
alloy comprises 92.5-97 wt % Ag, 1-4.5 wt % Cu, 0.4-4 wt % Zn, 0.8-1.5 wt % Ge, 0 to 0.2 wt % Si, In or Sn and 0-0.2 wt % Mn, the balance being
boron as grain refiner, incidental ingredients and impurities. The said
alloy preferably comprises
boron as grain refiner added as a
boron hydride, e.g.
sodium borohydride. A further group of alloys comprises a
ternary alloy of silver,
copper and
germanium containing from more than 93.5 wt % to 95.5 wt % Ag, from 0.5 to 3 wt % Ge and the remainder, apart from incidental ingredients (if any), impurities and grain refiner, copper, the grain refiner being
sodium borohydride or another boron
hydride.
Silicon-containing
casting grain that gives rise to bright as-cast products is also disclosed. In a further embodiment, a
zinc-containing silver
alloy resistant to
tarnish under severe conditions e.g.
exposure to human sweat or French dressing comprises 1-5 wt % Zn, 0.7-3 wt % Cu, 0.1-3 wt % Ge, 0-0.3 wt % Mn, 0-0.25 wt % Si, B in an amount effective for grain refinement, up to 0.5 wt % incidental ingredients, the balance being Ag in an amount of 92.5-96 wt %, and impurities. A preferred manufacturing method giving an alloy with favourable physical properties involves melting together the ingredients, and incorporating boron by dispersing into molten silver alloy to foirn the whole or a precursor pait of said alloy a compound selecting fiom
alkyl boron compounds,
boron hydrides, boron halides, boron-containing
metal hydrides, boron-containing
metal halides and mixtures thereof The alloy is particularly suitable for castings which may be hardened in an oven e.g. at about 300 DEG C. for 30-45 min.