2. Types of brass metal
Red Brass
Red brass, also known as rose brass or “gunmetal” is an alloy composed of 14-16% of zinc, 0.05% of iron, 0.07% lead content, and the remainder copper.
Red brass can be recycled multiple times due to the high amount of copper. It is utilized in numerous mechanical parts, such as valves, sprinklers, siphons’ segments, and musical instruments. Before being replaced with steel gunmetal, it had been used mainly for gun making.
This alloy has the following pros and cons:
- The most durable among all the metals for the plumbing industry due to corrosion resistance.
- It can be easily machined.
- It is resistant to non-oxidizing acids.
- The high content of copper makes it more expensive than other types of brass.
Yellow Brass
Yellow or gold brass is often compared in its properties to red brass. It is composed of 57% of copper and 33% of zinc.
It is found mainly in decorative and industrial applications. It also has high corrosion resistance and can be used to manufacture kitchen spigots, screws, fasteners, musical instruments such as trombones and saxophones. Due to being lighted and clearer in color than the red brass, the yellow one can be used for producing plates, shelves, and costume jewelry.
Yellow brass is known to have the following pros and cons:
- Harder metal than the red brass.
- Can be used for decorative purposes.
- Tarnishes when exposed to water and soap.
Oxygen-Free Copper
Oxygen-free copper is a metal composed of 99% copper and 1% or fewer impurities, which determines the grade of metal.
It has good corrosion resistance, high thermal and electrical properties, and excellent hot-working properties. The major applications of oxygen-free copper are conductors, wires, waveguides, grass-to-metal seals, cavity resonators, vacuum tubes, and others.
- It is resistant to shorts, durable, and long-lasting.
- It is resistant to oxidation and highly conductive.
- It can be recycled multiple times.
- Oxygen-free copper is comparatively expensive.
Tin Bronze
Tin bronze is composed of 89% copper and 11% tin. It is a hard metal having high ductility. It is wear-resistant and able to withstand the pounding.
Tin bronze finds its application in the forming industry. Parts made of this metal are expected to withstand high loads at low speeds. It is mainly used for producing springs, pump impellers, bushings, valve guides, piston rings, and bearings. It can be also utilized for manufacturing movable bridge components, and other similar structures.
- Tin bronze resists corrosion and metal fatigue.
- It conducts heat and electricity better than steel.
- It is a soft and weak metal compared to steel.
- It is an expensive metal.
Beryllium Copper
Beryllium copper is known to be a copper alloy with 0.5% to 3% of Beryllium. This type of brass combines high strength with non-magnetic and non-sparking qualities.
Beryllium copper is used in applications when it is vital to have good formability combined with high fatigue strength, creep resistance, and good hysteresis properties. Some of the parts that are typically made of this metal are screwdrivers, knives, hammers, cold chisels, wrenches, pliers, and others.
- It has the highest strength rating among copper-based alloys.
- Due to being non-sparkling, it can be used near flammable substances.
- It is resistant to non-oxidizing acids and can be heat-treated.
- Inhalation of beryllium dust may cause a serious lung condition.
