What is the percentage of bronze? Its properties and application

Bronze is an alloy of two metals. It is widely used in various spheres of human life: from automotive to interior design.

What is bronze?

It is copper, fused with tin. Also, aluminum, manganese, beryllium and other elements can be used instead of the latter. In addition, the composition contains various impurities in small amounts.

Also on the basis of copper, brass is created, for which zinc is used.

In our time there are brands of this alloy, which have different composition. Bronze of different species can be very different. Different brands are used for different purposes.

The color of this alloy directly depends on the percentage of copper and tin, of which it consists. With a decrease in the number of the first and an increase in the second, the color loses red and acquires a gray tinge.

When did bronze first appear?

This alloy is known from very ancient times. It began to be manufactured and used much earlier than iron. Only copper and tin were part of it. The bronze of that time did not contain impurities. It was first obtained about five thousand years ago, that is, in the III millennium BC. E. The period when this alloy was used is called "the bronze age". It lasted until the I millennium BC. E., That is, until the time when people learned to extract iron.

Bronze was widely used for manufacturing all kinds of products, including jewelry, figurines, weapons and utensils.

Bronze. Composition and application

From this alloy, rolled products are produced: rods, reinforcement, sheets, as well as all kinds of other products, for example mesh, bearings, any parts of various equipment. Also, bronze is used in construction and architecture to make monuments, decor elements. In addition, this alloy finds its application in plumbing - it is made of pipes.

The main group are tin bronzes. From the name it is clear that tin is one of the basic metals that make up the composition. Bronze of this kind is divided into two types: one for processing which uses high pressure, and also a foundry.

The pressure to be treated is Br. OTS 4-4-2,5. It includes tin in quantities of three to five percent, lead (1.5 to 3.5 percent), zinc (three to five percent), and a little iron (0.05 percent). The rest is copper.

The same group includes bronze, composition Which includes from six to seven percent of tin, 0.1-0.25 percent of phosphorus, as well as 0.02 percent of iron and the same amount of lead. This Br. PF 6.5-0.15.

The next group is foundry bronze. Additives in the form of iron are not included in its composition. Bronze of this kind is often used for making art objects, shaped articles , etc.

Br. OCS6-6-3 consists of five to seven percent tin, 5.5-6.8 percent zinc and copper.

The composition of Br. OTSSN3-7-5-1 includes 2.5-4.5 percent tin, 6.5-7.5 percent zinc, and also 4.6-5.4 percent lead and 0.8-1.2 percent nickel.

Often in our time, tin was replaced by other metals, since it is cheaper. Such alloys form other groups.

Bronze, which does not contain tin, is often inferior in quality. Such types of it are widely used in the automotive industry and other similar industries.

Aluminum bronze

This metal most often acts as a replacement for tin. Its amount in the alloy can be about 10 percent. Bronze, whose composition and properties are known from ancient times, is slightly different from aluminum. It is more expensive, since tin, used for the production of this alloy from antiquity, has a higher cost than aluminum.

However, although it is cheaper, aluminum bronze still has high strength, antifriction properties. It mainly produces bushings, bearings, worm wheels and the like.

The most common brand of this group of bronze is Br. АЖН10-4-4. Its composition includes 9.5-11 percent of aluminum, 3.5-5.5 percent of manganese and the same amount of iron. The rest is copper.

Beryllium bronzes

In such alloys, about two percent of beryllium is contained.

They have increased strength and hardness, as they undergo special heat treatment, which contributes to the increase in the characteristics of the material. The main application of these bronzes is in the sphere of making tools, such as hammers, chisels, etc.

Siliceous Bronze

This group of alloys contains 2-3 percent silicon in its composition. They are resistant to corrosion, as well as good casting properties.

Of this kind of material, ribbon, wire, springs and the like are most often made.

Nickel bronzes

As an impurity contain nickel. Their main features include viscosity, good resistance to acids and high temperatures.

Patinated bronze

Also this species is very common also. Patination of bronze gives it the effect of antiquity and plays a decorative function. But, in addition, it also protects the material from corrosion. The patination method of this alloy is similar to silvering technology. As a result of the procedure, a black bronze is obtained , the composition of which is not changed.

Brass

The composition of bronze and brass has one basic common feature - the main component is copper. It is also the most important and widely used alloy based on this metal. However, as the second element in this case, zinc is used, and not tin. Additives in the form of lead, iron, and silicon are also present in small amounts.

What additive is contained in a particular brand of brass can be understood from the marking, in which, after the letter L (which means "brass"), one more is added, for example C (lead) in the designation LS59-1. Hence it can be understood that the alloy contains 59 percent copper, 1 lead, and the rest zinc.

The color of brass and its properties depend on the percentage of copper in it. There are three main groups: red, yellow and white. Red contains more than 80 percent of copper, this kind of brass is also called "tompak". It is used for the production of thin sheets.

The yellow percentage of copper is lower - 40-80%. It is mainly used for the production of keys, headsets, also it is used in the automotive industry.

A white variety of brass contains 20-40% copper. It is very fragile, so it can only be formed by casting.