Metal alloys

[ness_du_frat]

Ok, this is probably the weirdest question I've ever asked… I've done some research on google about metal alloys, but so far I haven't found the answers I'm looking for

Comments

[antongarou]

He would likely use NMR, if one is available: it's a precursorof the MRI, and uses the same principles to, among other things, help determine composition of materials.

[tersa]

It's been a long time since my chemistry days as well, but I think you're looking for crystallography in terms of identifying it.

[tiggerwrites]

...not spectral emission lines?

[marycatelli]

On a solid? You have to burn a bit to get that, which would require breaking it up.

[stickmaker]

Cold spectrography can sometimes provide important compositional clues.

If radiation damage isn't a concern, X-ray crystallography would supply more.

Actually, just measuring surface conductivity (assuming there's no corrosion or patina to alter results) might help.

Then there's NMR, as mentioned above.

Ultrasound, density measurements, there's a lot you can do to get basic physical properties.

[ffutures]

Obvious questions based on physical properties might help

[ffutures]

Forgot to add that X-ray crystallography needs teeny samples, and you seem to be saying that it won't be easy to take them. Also that none of this will actually tell you how old something is, unless you get lucky and there's something in there with known radioactive half life.

[stickmaker]

If you're really desperate, use chlorine trifluoride. If that doesn't react, shake its hand and call it sir. ;-)

[marycatelli]

Bow deeply before it -- maybe kowtow -- and call it Your Serene Thoughtfulness or something equally abject.

[marycatelli]

For density, btw, there's a classic way of determining its volume: dunk it a container full of water. If it's just full to the brim, you can measure run off. Otherwise you can determine by how much the water level changes.

[beccastareyes]

One other method I can think of for dating would be to look for the traces of cosmic rays through the metal, which would say how long it was exposed. OTOH, that would necessitate at least removing a sample.