, named for American metallurgist B. Wood , is also known as
Lipowitz's alloy or by the commercial names cerrobend . It is a
fusible alloy that becomes liquid at approximately . It is a
eutectic alloy of 50% bismuth , 26.7% lead , 13.3% tin , and 10%
cadmium Wood's metal is useful as a low-melting solder , low-
temperature casting metal, high temperature coupling fluid in
heat baths , and as a fire-melted valve element in fire
sprinkler systems in buildings. Medical gas cylinders in the
United Kingdom have a Wood's metal seal which melts in fire,
allowing the gas to escape and reducing the risk of gas
explosion A common use is as a filler when bending thin-walled
metal tubes. For this use the tubing is filled with molten
Wood's metal. After the filler solidifies the tubing is bent,
and the filler prevents collapse of the tubing. The Wood's metal
is then removed by heating, often by boiling in water. Other
uses include making custom-shaped apertures and blocks (for
example, electron-beam cutouts and lung blocks