Metallic Bond Definition: A chemical attraction formed from a shared pool of valence electrons.
An interaction that holds metal atoms together.
Does not result in the formation of a compound.
Metal atoms do not lose their valence electrons as they do in ionic bonds.
All metal atoms share electrons from a "sea of electrons."
Delocalized Electrons: Electrons that are not associated with a single atom or bond.
Comparison to Ionic and Covalent Bonds
Ionic Bond: Involves the transfer of electrons (e.g., Sodium chloride NaCl).
Metallic Bond: Involves the sharing of a pool of valence electrons among metal atoms (e.g., Zinc Zn).
Covalent Bond: Depicted with water (H_2O), illustrating shared electrons between nonmetal atoms.
Properties Contributing to Metallic Bonding
Electronegativity (EN): Metals have low electronegativity, resulting in a lower attraction for electrons.
Lattice Formation: Metals tend to form lattices, similar to ionic compounds.
Atomic Size and Overlapping Orbitals: Metal atoms are often larger, leading to overlapping orbitals, which contributes to the formation of the "sea of electrons."
Properties of Metals
Malleability: The ability to be made into thin sheets.
Ductility: The ability to be made into wires.
Electrical and Thermal Conductivity: The sea of electrons allows electrons to flow through the material, producing an electric current.
Light Absorption and Reflection: Metals are strong absorbers and reflectors of light, giving them a metallic appearance.
Alloys
Definition: Typically a solution of two or more metals mixed together.
The proportion of metals can be adjusted to create desirable properties.
Alloys are widely used due to their desirable and tunable properties.