Using Molten Metal as Mortar--Would it Work Today?
So I just got back from watching an episode of the Science Channel program Unearthed, a show focusing on archaeological discoveries. In the episode in question, the subject was on the Lighthouse of Alexandria, and one of the questions asked in the episode is how the lighthouse stood true in an earthquake hotspot for 1500 years. One theory was that the granite bricks were connected by a kind of mortar made from molten lead. A demonstration had been tested, and it turns out that a wall of granite bricks and molten lead mortar can withstand seismic shock without problem.
Now, obviously, lead is not a metal worth recommending, considering its toxic nature, but are there other metals or alloys that, when still molten, can be used to make mortar? And would it be practical to use them given today's technology?
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1 answer
Bi58, with a little help.
An alloy of bismuth and tin in the proportion 58:42 known as Bi58. by itself has a melting point of 138 °C (280.4 °F), but doesn't by itself have suitable properties to act as mortar, as it needs to be able to stay where it's troweled to and although denser needs the approximate properties of a well-whipped egg-white.
The builder's mate would need to either use a spot-board and shovel or a powered rotating mixer and add-in a goodly proportion of copper powder and a little flux (to aid wetting), this will give the desired properties. A rotating mixer might just be easier to maintain at the right temperature and small batches would be be ferried to the (brick) layer as needed.
On cooling, the mixture expands by a small percentage (1 or 2%) which gives a good grip on the surfaces of rough materials. It has the virtue of being fine with the day/night cooling cycle, so will stay intact over time.
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