Copper, Brass and Bronze, which are commonly referred to as “red metals”, have a slight reddish color but copper is a pure metal. Also, Brass and Bronze are alloys of copper—Brass is made by combining zinc with copper while copper is mixed with tin to form bronze. However, these “red metals” do not share common properties that distinguish them from each other hence they can be perfectly used for different applications especially when it comes to metallic sheets.
These materials fall into the category of “red metals” called Copper, Brass, and Bronze. Consequently, one should carefully look into the different aspects that differentiate between copper, brass and bronze before making any decision on usage of these types of metals. This is necessary when welding or constructing buildings or even interior design planning since knowledge about their individual qualities and benefits is indispensable.
What is Brass?
Brass refers to a copper-zinc alloy composed mainly of copper and zinc, usually between 60-80% copper and 20-40% zinc. The process may include metal such as trace amounts of lead, tin or aluminum. These additives serve specific purposes and improve the qualities of the material. For instance, machinability could be improved by using additional lead; meanwhile, corrosion resistance can be increased by adding tin. It is through careful combination that these alloying elements are combined in order for the brass to meet a variety of industrial applications and artistic uses.
Properties of Brass
Brass has its own unique golden coloration and excellent physical properties. It is strong with the following traits:
- Excellent ductility
- Corrosion resistant
- Highly thermally conductive
- Greatly malleable
- Sustained colour
- Good elastoplasticity
Available Grades of Brass
There are various grades because brass comes in different compositions some of which are:
1) Alloy 260 – This comprises 70% Copper with 30% Zinc. The reason behind this is its excellent ability to cold work making it suitable for such things as hardware accessories and ammunition casings.
2) Alloy 272 contains Zn at a percentage of 33%. This enhances its weldability making it popular in industries and construction.
3) Low Lead Content/High Machinability/Plumbing Industry Applications: Alloy330.
4) There is also watch brass which exhibits good machinability hence it’s used primarily for precision parts on watches, clocks among others named alloy353 other than this name.
5) Also called free-cutting brass alloy360 which happens to be the most commonly used type of brass; it has exceptional machining attributes allowing high speed cutting operations therefore suitable for use in pipe fittings, valves, fasteners etc.
6) Architectural bronze is another name for alloy385 and is preferred because of its high structural integrity. These can be channels, square tubes, handrail mouldings etc which are used in construction and building systems.
7) Another type called Alloy464 or navy brass is highly resistant to seawater corrosion; it can be easily formed by thermoforming and can also be weld able, stretched as well as bended among others.
Applications of Brass
The superior mechanical properties of brass coupled with its resistance to corrosion make it important in a number of industries.
- The electrical industry often uses it in making connectors and switches
- Water pipe valves for piping systems
- Musical instrument manufacture
- Gears and fasteners
What is Bronze？
Bronze can be defined as an alloy primarily consisting of copper and tin, although sometimes other elements such as aluminium, magnesium, phosphorus, lead etc. are added to improve its performance. The first widespread use of bronze was probably in ancient civilizations where it was used mainly for manufacturing weapons and tools. Its excellent resistance to corrosion and its mechanical properties have made it the metal of choice for many uses. At the same time it is harder than pure copper with better casting capabilities.
Properties of Bronze
-Strong corrosion resistance especially in seawater and various chemicals.
-The hardness of bronze is generally higher than that of pure copper.
-It has good flowability and filling properties which make it ideal for casting complex parts.
-Does not easily break when bent back and forth repeatedly (fatigue).
Available Grades of Bronze
Depending on composition, there are several kinds of bronze:
- Alloy 932: high lead tin bronzes that are commonly used in bushing, gaskets as well as non-pressure components.
- Alloy 954: aluminum-bronze is very strong hence used for supporting equipments and industrial facilities.
Applications of Bronze
Various fields including industry, machinery as well as construction require the use of bronze. It is chosen to cast sculptures or other decorative items due to its ability to resist rusting while being aesthetically pleasing at the same time. Mechanically speaking, bearings, gears, valves and many other mechanical parts often contain bronze especially whenever wear resistant or corroding applications are involved.
What is Copper?
It is a soft pliable brownish-red metal with great thermal as well as electrical conductivity. If copper is oxidized, it develops into green patina and has a reddish-orange color. It can be found naturally as a free metal or in minerals such as copperite and covellite. The material has good electrical and thermal conductivities, which make it the best choice for producing electric devices and heat exchangers.
Properties of Copper
- Electrical and thermal conductivity
- Ductility and malleability
- Corrosion resistance
- Natural antibacterial properties
- It can be recycled and reused
- Aesthetics
Available Grades of Copper
Differentiating brass, bronze and copper is possible by way of color, composition and specific properties among others. Here are some key factors that will help you distinguish between them:
Color
- Brass: Usually comes as yellowish gold color; a zinc presence gives it its yellowish look.
- Bronze: Its brown or reddish brown colors normally differentiate it. It’s usually darker than brass due to more tin composition.
- Copper: The element has its typical red orange color. It is bright and this makes it easily distinguishable from other metals.
Composition
- Brass: Copper and zinc form the major components of brass. The specific alloy determines the percentage of zinc in brass which ranges from 15% to 40%.
- Bronze: Another widely used alloy for casting purposes is bronze. Normally, bronze contains copper which may be about 88% while tin is about 12%.
- Copper: Pure copper contains no alloying element of any significance but must consist of at least 99.9%.
Properties
- Brass: This metal has good conductivity as well as being malleable. Applications requiring both formability and electrical conductivity often use this metal extensively.
- Bronze: Bronze is harder and less susceptible to corrosion than most other metals including brass. It can be found in sculptures, musical instruments, and bearings among many other places.
- Copper: Being relatively soft, pure copper can be bent quite easily. Electrical wiring, pipes as well as utensils make use of this excellent conductor.
Density
- Brass: Has density generally ranging between those exhibited by copper or bronze.
- Bronze: Its density is higher compared to that of brass because of tin’s higher density.
- Copper: While most alloys made up with either titanium or nickel have densities close to 10g/cm^3 , pure copper’s specific gravity stands at about 8.96 making it less dense than most brass and bronze alloys.
Selecting The Right Material For Your Projects: Brass, Bronze, And Copper
Here are some hints that can assist in picking the ideal material for different purposes:
1. The need for conductivity
If your application requires high electrical conductivity, choose copper: Pure copper is of superior quality and an outstanding choice due to its expert-conductivity. Its conduction of electricity is seconded by brass; however, it falls slightly short of pure copper.
2. Strength and corrosion resistance
Choose bronze over brass: Bronzes have higher mechanical properties than brasses along with good corrosion resistance. Therefore, bronze works well when more strength as well as better toughness like sculpts, utensils or clocks, etc., are required.
3.Decorative requirement and appearance
Choose brass instead: Due to its gold-like coloration, it is commonly used in upholstery and furniture ornaments among others as a decorative item. Besides that it has a wonderful look that makes it attractive.
4. Cost factors
Either choose brass or copper: It is usually expensive to buy pure copper while on the other hand addition of zinc makes brass more affordable hence take into account consideration of cost when thinking about which one to pick.
5.Wear durability
Prefer bronze to brass: The tin-based alloys have better wear and tear resistance thereby making them suitable for constant wearing applications including bearings, gears etc., subjected to frequent cycle fatigue or environmental change.
