Alloy

Composition and Use

Admiralty brass

30% zinc and 1% tin, used to inhibit dezincification

Aich's alloy

60.66% copper, 36.58% zinc, 1.02% tin, and 1.74% iron. Corrosion resistance, hardness, and toughness make it useful for marine applications.

Alpha brass

Less than 35% zinc, malleable, can be worked cold, used in pressing, forging, or similar applications. Alpha brasses have only one phase, with face-centered cubic crystal structure.

Prince's metal or Prince Rupert's metal

alpha brass containing 75% copper and 25% zinc. Named for Prince Rupert of the Rhine and used to imitate gold.

Alpha-beta brass or Muntz metal or duplex brass

35–45% zinc and is suited for hot working. It contains both α and β' phase; the β'-phase is body-centered cubic and is harder and stronger than α. Alpha-beta brasses are usually worked hot.

Aluminum brass

contains aluminum, which improves its corrosion resistance. Used for seawater service and in Euro coins (Nordic gold).

Arsenical brass

contains an addition of arsenic and frequently aluminum and is used for boiler fireboxes.

Beta brass

45–50% zinc content. Can only be worked hot producing a hard strong metal that is suitable for casting.

Cartridge brass

30% zinc brass with good cold working properties. Used for ammunition cases.

Common brass, or rivet brass

37% zinc brass, standard for cold working

DZR brass

dezincification resistant brass with a small percentage of arsenic

Gilding metal

95% copper and 5% zinc, softest type of common brass, used for ammunition jackets

High brass

65% copper and 35% zinc, has a high tensile strength and is used for springs, rivets, screws

Leaded brass

alpha-beta brass with an addition of lead, easily machined

Lead-free brass

as defined by California Assembly Bill AB 1953 contains "not more than 0.25 percent lead content"

Low brass

copper-zinc alloy containing 20% zinc, ductile brass used for flexible metal hoses and bellows

Manganese brass

70% copper, 29% zinc, and 1.3% manganese, used in making golden dollar coins in the United States

Muntz metal

60% copper, 40% zinc and a trace of iron, used as a lining on boats

Naval brass

40% zinc and 1% tin, similar to admiralty brass

Nickel brass

70% copper, 24.5% zinc and 5.5% nickel used to make pound coins in the pound sterling currency

Nordic gold

89% copper, 5% aluminium, 5% zinc, and 1% tin, used in 10, 20 and 50 cts euro coins

Red brass

an American term for the copper-zinc-tin alloy known as gunmetal, and an alloy which is considered both a brass and a bronze. Red brass usually contains 85% copper, 5% tin, 5% lead, and 5% zinc. Red brass may be copper alloy C23000, which is 14–16% zinc, 0.05% iron and lead, and the remainder copper. Red brass also may also refer to ounce metal, another copper-zinc-tin alloy.

Rich low brass (Tombac)

15% zinc, often used for jewelry

Tonval brass (also called CW617N or CZ122 or OT58)

copper-lead-zinc alloy

White brass

brittle metal containing more than 50% zinc. White brass may also refer to certain nickel silver alloys as well as Cu-Zn-Sn alloys with high proportions (typically 40%+) of tin and/or zinc, as well as predominantly zinc casting alloys with copper additive.

Yellow brass

American term for 33% zinc brass