Sciencemadness Discussion Board

Zinc-gallium alloy formation

LanthanumK - 6-1-2012 at 06:03

Dissolving galinstan in aluminium resulted in the formation of a gray powder. This is placed in hydrochloric acid, where most of it (except for probably the tin in the galinstan) immediately dissolves. When zinc is added, a small amount of bubbling is observed, not as much as is normally seen when zinc is placed in an acidic solution. Upon removal, the zinc is extremely brittle and cracks easily. Is this a zinc-gallium alloy?