Material that can mimic and predict outcome for gold

[Eng4dummies]

Hi,

I’m currently working on a prototype for a pattern that has certain unique properties. The material the final pattern would be made of would be a precious metal such as gold.

my question is… which inexpensive materials can mimic the properties of gold when doing a proof of concept? I am looking for malleability, strength, structure, as opposed to colour and value.

I was wondering if anyone could recommend any metal or material whose properties were so similar to gold that if the pattern can be proven to work with that, then by extension it would probably work with gold.

Thank you! Any ideas are appreciated.

 

[SWComposites]

Silver?

 

[IRstuff]

There's this

https://johncanningco.com/blog/imit...entic gold leaf is a,copper, zinc, and brass.

Note that gold is unique, so what works for gold might not work with any substitute.

TTFN (ta ta for now)
I can do absolutely anything. I'm an expert!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=BKorP55Aqvg

faq731-376 forum1529 Entire Forum list

http://www.eng-tips.com/forumlist.cfm

 

[Eng4dummies]

Thank you to you both! I’ll look further in to both options.

 

[Mayamail]

Hello dear as a student I'm so happy to share with you my project which help peoples to check mic, webcam, headphone online for free.

 

[Gr8blu]

ASSUMPTION: OP is looking at "pure" (99+ %, or 24 karat) gold.
Best fit (malleability): lead. Followed (in order) by - niobium, palladium, platinum,, silver.
Best fit (strength): silver. Followed by aluminum.
Best fit (structure): pretty much all metals - at the atomic level, the two most similar are gold and lead (high nuclear mass coupled with fast-moving electrons equates to "small" diameter atom).

Best fit (conductivity): silver, then platinum. (Copper - and most copper-based alloys - is better than any of these.)



Converting energy to motion for more than half a century

 

[Eng4dummies]

Thank you Gr8blu for your in depth response. This is EXACTLY what I was looking for!!!! You’re a life saver!

Now my brain is firing. Perhaps I could create a lead-silver compound to mimic gold properties and use that when creating the prototype…

 

[SWComposites]

Lead is a hazardous material, so if you are in the US you need to comply with all relevant OSHA requirements.

 

[Eng4dummies]

Ahhhh, yes. That’s a very good point. I’m based in Canada and the prototype won’t be for use, just proof of concept. I’m not sure if that would affect any of the rules, however. I’ll look into the relevant laws and rules regarding its use here. Thank you so much!

 

[rb1957]

make a proof of concept out of silver, then a prototype out of gold.

how much material are we talking about ? 1kg ?? 1g ??

"Hoffen wir mal, dass alles gut geht !"
General Paulus, Nov 1942, outside Stalingrad after the launch of Operation Uranus.

 

[Eng4dummies]

I assume 5-6 ounces total, to account for materials lost during creation, unusable prototypes (material loss), and final product etc. So if I made those prototypes out of gold it would possibly get costly.