List of copper alloys


Copper alloys are metal alloys that have copper as their principal component. They have high resistance against corrosion. The best known traditional types are bronze, where tin is a significant addition, and brass, using zinc instead. Both of these are imprecise terms, having both been commonly referred to as lattens in the past. Today the term copper alloy tends to be substituted, especially by museums.

Composition

The similarity in external appearance of the various alloys, along with the different combinations of elements used when making each alloy, can lead to confusion when categorizing the different compositions. There are as many as 400 different copper and copper alloy compositions loosely grouped into the categories: copper, high copper alloy, brasses, bronzes, copper nickels, copper-nickel-zinc, leaded copper, and special alloys. The following table lists the principal alloying element for four of the more common types used in modern industry, along with the name for each type. Historical types, such as those that characterize the Bronze Age, are vaguer as the mixtures were generally variable.
FamilyPrincipal alloying elementUNS numbers
Copper alloys, brassZinc C1xxxx-C4xxxx,C66400-C69800
Phosphor bronzeTin C5xxxx
Aluminium bronzesAluminium C60600-C64200
Silicon bronzesSilicon C64700-C66100
Cupronickel, nickel silversNickel C7xxxx

NameNominal composition Form and conditionYield strength Tensile strength Elongation in 2 inches Hardness Comments
Copper Cu 99.9Annealed10324542Electrical equipment, roofing, screens
"
"
Cold-drawn40451590
"
"
"
Cold-rolled40465100
"
Gilding metal Cu 95.0, Zn 5.0Cold-rolled50565114Coins, bullet jackets
Cartridge brass Cu 70.0, Zn 30.0Cold-rolled63768155Good for cold-working; radiators, hardware, electrical, drawn cartridge cases.
Phosphor bronze Cu 89.75, Sn 10.0, P 0.25Spring temper—1224241High fatigue-strength and spring qualities
Yellow or High brass Cu 65.0, Zn 35.0Annealed18486055Good corrosion resistance
"
"
Cold-drawn557015115
"
"
"
Cold-rolled 607410180
"
Manganese bronze Cu 58.5, Zn 39.2, Fe 1.0, Sn 1.0, Mn 0.3Annealed30603095Forgings
"
"
Cold-drawn508020180
"
Naval brass Cu 60.0, Zn 39.25, Sn 0.75Annealed22564090Resistance to salt corrosion
"
"
Cold-drawn406535150
"
Muntz metal Cu 60.0, Zn 40.0Annealed20544580Condensor tubes
Aluminium bronze Cu 92.0, Al 8.0Annealed25706080—
"
"
Hard651057210
"
Beryllium copper Cu 97.75, Be 2.0, Co or Ni 0.25Annealed, solution-treated327045B60 Electrical, valves, pumps, oilfield tools, aerospace landing gears, robotic welding, mold making
"
"
Cold-rolled1041105B81
"
Free-cutting brassCu 62.0, Zn 35.5, Pb 2.5Cold-drawn447018B80 Screws, nuts, gears, keys
Nickel silver Cu 65.0, Zn 17.0, Ni 18.0Annealed25584070Hardware
"
"
Cold-rolled70854170
"
Nickel silver Cu 76.5, Ni 12.5, Pb 9.0, Sn 2.0Cast18351555Easy to machine; ornaments, plumbing
Cupronickel Cu 88.35, Ni 10.0, Fe 1.25, Mn 0.4Annealed224445–Condensor, salt-water pipes
"
"
Cold-drawn tube576015–
"
CupronickelCu 70.0, Ni 30.0Wrought––––Heat-exchange equipment, valves
Ounce metal Copper alloy C83600 Cu 85.0, Zn 5.0, Pb 5.0, Sn 5.0Cast17372560—
Gunmetal Varies Cu 80-90%, Zn <5%, Sn ~10%, +other elements@ <1%-

FamilyCDAASTMSAESAE supersededFederalMilitary
Red brass833
Red brass836B145-83683640QQ-C-390 C-2229 Gr2
Red brass838B145-838838QQ-C-390
Semi-red brass844B145-844QQ-C-390
Semi-red brass848B145-848QQ-C-390
Manganese bronze862B147-862862430AQQ-C-390 C-2229 Gr9
Manganese bronze863B147-863863430BQQ-C-390 C-2229 Gr8
Manganese bronze865B147-86586543QQ-C-390 C-2229 Gr7
Tin bronze903B143-903903620QQ-C-390 C-2229 Gr1
Tin bronze905B143-90590562QQ-C-390
Tin bronze90790765
Leaded tin bronze922B143-922922622QQ-C-390 B-16541
Leaded tin bronze923B143-923923621QQ-C-390 C-15345 Gr10
Leaded tin bronze926926
Leaded tin bronze92792763
High-leaded tin bronze932B144-932932660QQ-C-390 C-15345 Gr12
High-leaded tin bronze934QQ-C-390 C-22229 Gr3
High-leaded tin bronze935B144-93593566QQ-C-390
High-leaded tin bronze937B144-93793764QQ-C-390
High-leaded tin bronze938B144-93893867QQ-C-390
High-leaded tin bronze943B144-943943QQ-C-390
Aluminium bronze952B148-95295268AQQ-C-390 C-22229 Gr5
Aluminium bronze953B148-95395368BQQ-C-390
Aluminium bronze954B148-954954QQ-C-390 C-15345 Gr13
Aluminium bronze955B148-955955QQ-C-390 C-22229 Gr8
Aluminium bronze958QQ-C-390
Silicon bronze878B30878

The following table outlines the chemical composition of various grades of copper alloys.

Brasses

A brass is an alloy of copper with zinc. Brasses are usually yellow in colour. The zinc content can vary between few % to about 40%; as long as it is kept under 15%, it does not markedly decrease corrosion resistance of copper.
Brasses can be sensitive to selective leaching corrosion under certain conditions, when zinc is leached from the alloy, leaving behind a spongy copper structure.
A bronze is an alloy of copper and other metals, most often tin, but also aluminium and silicon.
Copper is often alloyed with precious metals like gold and silver.
NameCu Au Ag Other
Auricupride††
Ashtadhatu†††Fe†, Hg†, Sn†, Zn†
Billon††Hg†
Chinese silver58217.5 Zn, 11.5 Ni,
Corinthian bronze†††
CuSil2872
Dymalloy2080C
Electrum, Green gold6-2375-800-150-4 Cd
Grey gold††Mn†
Guanín255618
Hepatizon†tracetrace
Niello††Pb sulfides†
Panchaloha†††Fe†, Sn†, Pb†, Zn†,
Rose, red, and pink gold20-5050-750-5
Spangold18-19765-6 Al
Shakudō90-964-10
Shibuichi40-770-123-60
Tibetan silver††Ni†, Sn†
Tumbaga3-973-97
White gold††Ni†, Zn†

† amount unspecified