Article View: sci.misc
Article #429Re: Osmium?
From: jnp
Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1987 21:17
Date: Thu, 18 Jun 1987 21:17
18 lines
1504 bytes
1504 bytes
> -> I have a strange request ... does anyone in netland know where I can
> ->get some of osmium?
> I remember a few years ago (like maybe 20) that some brand of ball point
> pen was advertised to have an osmium tip....
> ... But seriously, what property
> of osmium would make it a choice for a ball-point pen tip?
On the order of 25 years ago I read a short piece on Osmium in the Life
Science Library book of Elements. As my weakening memory recalls, Osmium has
a remarkably low melting point (near 100F I seem to recall). It has another
odd quality - it causes metals like steel to become extremely hard, although
brittle. I believe it is this hardness which causes its use in ball point
pens.
--
These opinions are solely mine and in no way reflect those of my employer.
John M. Pantone @ GE/Calma R&D, Data Management Group, San Diego
...{ucbvax|decvax}!sdcsvax!calmasd!jnp jnp@calmasd.GE.COM
Technical Details
Message-ID:
<2289@calmasd.GE.COM>Path:
arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!husc6!hao!gatech!hubcap!ncrcae!ncr-sd!hp-sdd!ucsdhub!sdcsvax!sdcc6!calmasd!jnpReferences:
<1754@ames.UUCP> <336@gtx.com>Show Full Headers
Complete Article Headers
Relay-Version: version B 2.10 5/3/83; site utzoo.UUCP Path: arc1-ca.pugleaf.net!utzoo!utgpu!water!watmath!clyde!rutgers!husc6!hao!gatech!hubcap!ncrcae!ncr-sd!hp-sdd!ucsdhub!sdcsvax!sdcc6!calmasd!jnp From: jnp@calmasd.UUCP Newsgroups: sci.misc Subject: Re: Osmium? Message-ID: <2289@calmasd.GE.COM> Date: Thu, 18-Jun-87 17:17:30 EDT Article-I.D.: calmasd.2289 Posted: Thu Jun 18 17:17:30 1987 Date-Received: Sat, 20-Jun-87 09:28:51 EDT References: <1754@ames.UUCP> <336@gtx.com> Distribution: na Organization: G.E.- Calma R&D, San Diego, CA Lines: 18 Keywords: osmium