Copper Alloys

INDUSTRY ASSOCIATIONS

Copper Alloys

Copper and copper alloys constitute one of the major groups of commercial metals due to their excellent electrical and thermal conductivities, corrosion and fatigue resistance, ease of fabrication, and good strength. This article lists the types, properties, fabrication characteristics, corrosion ratings, temper designations, and applications of wrought copper and copper alloys. It also presents an outline of the most commonly used mechanical working and heat treating processes. The copper industry is broadly composed of two segments: producers (mining, smelting, and refining companies) and fabricators (wire mills, brass mills, foundries, and powder plants). The article discusses copper production methods and describes major changes in the structure of the U.S. copper and copper alloys industry.

Chemical Composition of Copper Alloys

Family CDA AMS UNS Cu [%] Sn [%] Pb [%] Zn [%] Ni [%] Fe [%] Al [%] Other [%]
Red brass 833 C83300 93 1.5 1.5 4
C83400[8] 90 10
836 4855B C83600 85 5 5 5
838 C83800 83 4 6 7
Semi-red brass 844 C84400 81 3 7 9
845 C84500 78 3 7 12
848 C84800 76 3 6 15
Manganese bronze C86100[9] 67 0.5 21 3 5 Mn 4
862† C86200 64 26 3 4 Mn 3
863† 4862B C86300 63 25 3 6 Mn 3
865 4860A C86500 58 0.5 39.5 1 1 Mn 0.25
Tin bronze 903 C90300 88 8 4
905 4845D C90500 88 10 0.3 max 2
907 C90700 89 11 0.5 max 0.5 max
Leaded tin bronze 922 C92200 88 6 1.5 4.5
923 C92300 87 8 1 max 4
926 4846A C92600 87 10 1 2
927 C92700 88 10 2 0.7 max
High-leaded tin bronze 932 C93200 83 7 7 3
934 C93400 84 8 8 0.7 max
935 C93500 85 5 9 1 0.5 max
937 4842A C93700 80 10 10 0.7 max
938 C93800 78 7 15 0.75 max
943 4840A C94300 70 5 25 0.7 max
Aluminium bronze 952 C95200 88 3 9
953 C95200 89 1 10
954 4870B
4872B		 C95400 85 4 11
C95410[10] 85 4 11 Ni 2
955 C95500 81 4 4 11
C95600[11] 91 7 Si 2
C95700[12] 75 2 3 8 Mn 12
958 C95800 81 5 4 9 Mn 1
Silicon bronze C87200[13] 89 Si 4
C87400[14] 83 14 Si 3
C87500[15] 82 14 Si 4
C87600[16] 90 5.5 Si 4.5
878 C87800[17] 80 14 Si 4
C87900[18] 65 34 Si 1

Mechanical Properties of Copper Alloys

Family CDA Tensile strength [ksi] Yield strength [ksi] Elongation (typ.) [%] Hardness
[Brinell 10 mm-500 kg] 		Machinability [YB = 100]
Min. Typ. Min. Typ.
Red brass 833 32 10 35 35 35
836 30 37 14 17 30 50–65 84
838 29 35 12 16 25 50–60 90
Semi-red brass 844 29 34 13 15 26 50–60 90
848 25 36 12 14 30 50–60 90
Manganese bronze 862 90 95 45 48 20 170–195† 30
863 110 119 60 83 18 225† 8
865 65 71 25 28 30 130† 26
Tin bronze 903 40 45 18 21 30 60–75 30
905 40 45 18 22 25 75 30
907 35 44 18 22 20 80 20
Leaded tin bronze 922 34 40 16 20 30 60–72 42
923 36 40 16 20 25 60–75 42
926 40 44 18 20 30 65–80 40
927 35 42 21 20 77 45
High-leaded tin bronze 932 30 35 14 18 20 60–70 70
934 25 32 16 20 55–65 70
935 25 32 12 16 30 55–65 70
936 33 30 16 21 15 79-83 80
937 25 35 12 18 20 55–70 80
938 25 30 14 16 18 50–60 80
943 21 27 13 10 42–55 80
Aluminium bronze 952 65 80 25 27 35 110–140† 50
953 65 75 25 27 25 140† 55
954 75 85 30 35 18 140–170† 60
955 90 100 40 44 12 180–200† 50
958 85 95 35 38 25 150-170† 50
Silicon bronze 878 80 83 30 37 29 115 40
† Brinell scale with 3000 kg load

Products We Deal

Pipes

Plates

Round Bars