How does metallic bonding account for malleability?
1 Answer
How does metallic bonding account for malleability?
In the 1900s, Paul Drüde noted that the valence electrons of metals are very loosely held. He visualized metals as an array of atomic cores (nuclei and inner electrons) or metal cations immersed in a “sea” of surrounding valence electrons. In this model, the valence electrons are free, delocalized, mobile, and not associated with any particular atom.
The sea of electrons surrounding the cations act somewhat like a cushion. Thus, when the metal is hammered on, the overall composition of the structure of the metal is not harmed or changed. The forces of electrostatic attraction within the metal lattice are non-directional, so distortion of the lattice does not affect the force of attraction to any great extent. The cations can slide past each other, but the sea of electrons will adjust to the new arrangement of cations and keep the metal intact. This model accounts for the malleability of metals.
