experiments; and further, may enable every one to detect any attempt at imposition. It would be very desirable at present to possess a test as simple, by which we could distinguish the wootz, or steel of India, from that of Europe; but this, unfortunately, requires a much more difficult process of analysis.
To ascertain if platinum is in combination with steel, a small portion of the metal, or some filings taken from the bar, is to be put into dilute sulphuric acid; there will be rapid action; the iron will be dissolved, and a black sediment left, which will contain carbon, hydrogen, iron, and platinum; the carbon and hydrogen are to be burnt off; the small portion of iron separated by muriatic acid, and the residuum dissolved in a drop or two of nitromuriatic acid. If a piece of glass be moistened with this solution, and then heated by a spirit-lamp and the blowpipe, the platinum is reduced, and forms a metallic coating on the glass.
In analysing the alloy of steel and silver, it is to be acted on by dilute sulphuric acid, and the powder boiled in the acid; the silver will remain in such a minute state of division that it will require some time to deposit. The powder is then to be boiled in a small portion of strong muriatic acid[1]; this will dissolve the iron and silver, and the latter will fall down as a chloride of silver on dilution with water; or the powder may be dissolved in pure nitric acid, and tested by muriatic acid and ammonia.
The alloy of steel and palladium, acted on by dilute sulphuric acid, and boiled in that acid, left a powder, which, when the charcoal was burnt from it, and the iron partly separated by cold muriatic acid, gave on solution in hot muriatic acid, or in nitromuriatic acid, a muriate of palladium; the solution, when precipitated by prussiate of mercury, gave prussiate of palladium; and a glass plate moistened with it and heated to redness, became coated with metallic palladium.
The residuum of the rhodium alloy obtained by boiling in diluted sulphuric acid, had the combustible matter burnt oil; and the powder digested in hot muriatic acid: this removed the iron; and by long digestion in nitromuriatic acid, a muriate
- ↑ Although it is a generally received opinion that muriatic acid does not act on silver, yet that is not the case; pure muriatic acid dissolves a small portion of silver very readily.
