
Metals 1.10 Noble Metals and Noble Metal Alloys 347
3.1.10.2 Gold and Gold Alloys
Application
Gold and gold alloys are used for electrical contacts,
bonding wires and conductor paths in semiconduc-
tor devices, chemical and corrosion resistant materials,
thin surface coatings for optical and heat reflecting
mirrors, special thermocouples, and catalysts for or-
ganic chemical reactions. Classical applications are
jewelry, dentistry, monetary bars, and coins. Com-
mercial grades: Table 3.1-165. The purity grades of
gold bars are standardized in the range of 99.9to
99.999 wt% (ASTM B 562-86), Tables 3.1-165, and
3.1-166 [1.217].
Production
Elementary gold is extracted from ores by cyanide
leaching and precipitated with zinc, and by electroly-
sis. Refining is achieved by application of chlorine gas
up to 99.5%,andto99.9% and higher by electroly-
sis. Bars, sheets and wires are made by casting, rolling
and drawing; powder is formed by chemical and by elec-
trolytic precipitation from solutions; and nanocrystalline
powders are formed by dispersion in organic solutions.
Coatings are produced by cladding; electroplating; and
applying powder preparations followed by firing. Thin
films are produced by evaporation and cathode sput-
tering. Very fine gold leaves are made by traditional
hammering to a thickness of ∼ 0.2µm, or by cathode
sputtering.
Phases and Phase Equilibria
Selected phase diagrams are shown in Figs. 3.1-214–
3.1-223 [1.245, 246]. Continuous solid solutions are
Table 3.1-165 Specifications of fine gold [1.217, p. 52]
Designation Grade (wt%) Impurity Maximum content (ppm)
“Good delivery” gold 99.5 any, total 5000
Fine gold 99.99 Ag/Cu/others/total 100/20/30/100
Fine gold, chemically pure 99.995 Ag/others/total 25/25/50
Fine gold, high purity 99.999 Ag/Fe/Bi/Al/Cu/Ni/Pd +Pt/total 3/3/2/0.5/0.5/0.5/5/10
Table 3.1-166 Standard fineness of noble metal alloys and corresponding carat of jewelry [1.217, p. 52]
Fineness (wt‰)
Au 375 585 750 916,999
Ag 800,925,999
Pd 500 850,900,950,999
Pt 500 950,999
333 375 585 750 1000
Carat 8 9 14 18 24
1800
1700
1600
1500
1400
1300
1200
1100
1000
900
800
700
600
Co (at. % )
135 10 15 202530 405060
70 90
7
80
10 20 30 40 50 60 70 80 90
T (K) Co (wt %)
Au-Co
Au
Magnetic
transformation
1337 K
24.8
23
(Au)
1768 K
1395 K
1269 K 98.1
(α – Co)
(ε – Co)
≈ 695K
Fig. 3.1-214 Binary phase diagram of Au
−
Co [1.245]
formed with Ag, Co, Cu, Fe, Ni, Pd, and Pt. Mis-
cibility gaps occur with Be, Ni, Pt, Rh, and Ru.
Thermochemical data are listed in Tables 3.1-167,
Part 3 1.10