What are the fall-outs of Alloying?

Positive Effects

• Remarkable increase in Yield Strength, Impact Strength and Hardness – eg. alloy steels vs. plain carbon-steel
• Improvement in corrosion resistance eg. Chromium in Steel
• Occasional improvement in machinability eg. Sulphur and Lead in Steel
• Reduces Cost eg. Copper+Cadmium etc.
• Changes basic property eg. Doped Silicon

Negative Effects

• Reduction in Ductility: In most of the cases, the ductility of an alloy comes down considerably example, the reduction of ductility in Bronze from pure Copper.
• Reduction in Conductivity: Most of the times there are reductions in both thermal and electrical conductivity; example, Copper + Cadmium.