Brass
Brass is a Copper-Zinc alloy which is harder than copper and less hard compare to bronze. By changing proportions of Copper and Zinc, varying mechanical and electrical properties of brass can be achieved. It usually contains at least 50% Copper as it becomes brittle below this limit. Brass has the property to cover itself with natural patina which form the protecting layer against the corrosion. The most common Brass alloy is CuZn37.
| Alloy | Composition | Applications |
|---|---|---|
| CuZn33Pb2-C | Cu 63,0 - 66,0 Pb 1,0 - 3,0 Zn Rest | Gas - water fittings and other general purposes |
| CuZn39Pb2Al | Cu 58,0 - 63,0 Pb 0,2 - 1,4 Al 0,3 - 0,9 | Plumbing fittings |
| CuZn39Pb3 | Cu 57,0 - 59,0 Pb 2,5 - 3,5 Zn Rest | Excellent machinability. "drilling and turning quality", for automatic machining. Turned parts of all kinds. Good hot formability but very limited cold workability. Used as a standard against other material. Drop forging. |
| CuZn38Pb1 | Cu 60,0 - 61,0 Pb 0,8 - 1,6 Zn Rest | Good both hot and cold forming properties. Good machinability. Extreme riveting. Bendable, embossable and compressible. |
| CuZn36Pb2As | Cu 61,0 - 63,0 Pb 1,7 - 2,8 As 0,02 - 0,15 Zn Rest | Dezincification resistant brass. Good machinability. Moderate hot and cold formable. |
| CuZn37 | Cu 62,0 - 64,0 Zn Rest | Main alloy for cold forming (deep drawing, pressing, upsetting, thread rolling, bending, flanging). Good solderability and weldability, electrically polishable. |
| CuZn38Al-C | Cu 59,0 - 64,0 Al 0,1 - 0.8 Zn Rest | High quality engineering parts. |
| CuZn37Al-C | Cu 60,0 - 64,0 Al 0,3 - 1,8 Zn Rest | High quality engineering parts. |
| CuZn35Pb2AlAs | Cu 60,0 -63,0 Pb 1,1 - 1,3 Al 0,2 - 0,5 As ⩽ 0.1 Zn Rest | High quality engineering parts. |
| CuZn33Pb2Si-C | Cu 63,5 - 66,0 Pb 0,8 - 2,2 Si 0,7 - 1,1 Zn Rest | High quality engineering parts. |
| CuZn37Mn3Al2PbSi | Cu 57,0 - 59,0 Mn 1,5 - 3,0 Al 1,3 - 2,3 Pb 0,2 -0,8 Si 0,3 - 1,3 Zn Rest | Construction material with high strength. Good resistance to atmospheric-, water-, gases- and oil corrosion. For high demands on sliding stress, high wear resistance. Medium machinability. Construction parts in mechanical engineering, plain bearings (bushings), valve guides, gear parts, piston rings. |
| CuZn35Ni3Mn2AlPb | Cu 58,0 - 60,0 Ni 2,0 - 3,0 Mn 1,5 - 2,5 Al 0,3 - 1,3 Pb 0,2 -0,8 Zn Rest | Medium to high strength material. Seawater resistant. Medium machinability. Apparatus engineering, shipbuilding. |
| CuZn40Mn2Fe | Cu 56,5 - 58,5 Mn 1,0 - 2,0 Fe 0,5 - 1,5 Zn Rest | Aluminium-free construction material with medium strength. Solderable. Medium machinability. Weather resistant. Apparatus engineering, architecture ("architectural bronze"). |
| CuZn38Sn1As | Cu 59,0 - 62,0 Sn 0,5 - 1,0 As 0,02 - 0,06 Pb ⩽ 0,2 Zn Rest | 'Navy Brass''. Construction material of medium strength, good thermoforming properties. Seawater resistant. Apparatus engineering, tubes for condensers and heat exchangers. fittings and propeller shafts for boats. |
| CuZn31Si | Cu 66,0 - 70,0 Si 0,7 -1,3 Pb ⩽ 0,8 Zn Rest | Sliding Bearing (Bushing)material for high loads. Sliding Bearing bushings, guides and other sliding elements. |
| CuZn35Mn2Al1Fe1-C | Cu 57,0 - 65,0 Mn 0,5 - 3,0 Al 0,5 - 2,5 Fe 0,5 - 2,0 Pb ⩽ 0,5 Zn Rest | Medium strength and machinability, moderate sliding properties. Compression nuts, ground bushes and stuffing boxes, marine propellers, valve parts and control parts. |
| CuZn25Al5Mn4Fe3-C | Cu 60,0 - 67,0 Mn 2,5 - 5,0 Al 3,0 - 7,0 Fe 1,5 - 4,0 Pb ⩽ 0,2 Zn Rest | Very high strength material. Bearings with high load and low sliding speed. Highly stressed, slow-running worm wheel rims, internal parts of high-pressure fittings. |
| CuZn35AlFeMn HSBC. HTB-1 | Cu 58,5 - 61,0 Al 0,5 - 1,0 Fe 0,5 - 1,5 Mn 1,7 - 2,5 Zn Rest | High tensile brass. High static duty at very low circumferential velocity. Components under high stress at normal temperature. Plain bearings, Collar bushings,, Marine casting and fittings, pump housing, hydraulic equipments, locomotive axels, heavily loaded and slow moving gears, spur, housing nuts. |