A Look at Brass: The Yellow Metal Alloy
Imagine a material that has been cherished for centuries, used in everything from ancient artifacts to modern-day machinery. This versatile…
Imagine a material that blends the timeless elegance of brass with exceptional machinability and robust mechanical properties, making it indispensable across various industries. This material is Leaded Yellow Brass UNS C85700, a versatile alloy known for its unique composition and impressive array of applications. From intricate musical instruments to durable plumbing fittings, this brass alloy stands out due to its excellent corrosion resistance and ease of fabrication.
In this article, we’ll delve into the fascinating world of Leaded Yellow Brass UNS C85700, exploring its chemical makeup and the roles played by its constituent elements. We’ll examine its mechanical and physical properties, shedding light on why this alloy is favored by engineers and manufacturers alike. Furthermore, we’ll uncover the diverse uses of UNS C85700, highlighting its significance in both industrial and consumer products.
Whether you’re an engineer seeking the best material for a new project, a manufacturer aiming to enhance product durability, or simply curious about the science behind this remarkable alloy, this comprehensive guide will provide all the insights you need. Join us as we unravel the secrets of Leaded Yellow Brass UNS C85700 and discover why it remains a cornerstone in the world of metallurgy.
Leaded Yellow Brass UNS C85700 is a popular copper-zinc alloy known for its excellent mechanical and physical properties. This cost-effective and versatile alloy is suitable for a broad range of industrial and consumer applications.
Leaded brass alloys were developed in the early 20th century. Adding lead improved the machinability of brass, making manufacturing processes more efficient. This discovery led to the widespread use of leaded brass in various industries.
Leaded Yellow Brass UNS C85700 has a distinctive yellow color, balanced strength, ductility, and corrosion resistance. Lead in the alloy improves its machinability, making it easier to shape complex components.
Today, UNS C85700 is crucial in engineering and manufacturing due to its reliable performance in various environments. Its unique properties make it ideal for components that need strength and corrosion resistance, such as marine hardware and plumbing fittings. Its aesthetic appeal also makes it popular for decorative hardware and musical instruments.
Leaded Yellow Brass UNS C85700’s combination of attributes makes it a staple material in industries from marine engineering to consumer goods. Its adaptability and performance in different conditions highlight its historical and modern significance.
UNS C85700, also known as Leaded Yellow Brass, is a copper-zinc alloy with added elements to improve its properties.
Copper, comprising 58.00% to 64.00% of UNS C85700, is the primary component. It provides the base matrix, offering ductility, thermal conductivity, and electrical conductivity.
Zinc makes up 32.00% to 40.00% of the alloy, working with copper to increase strength and hardness while also enhancing corrosion resistance.
Lead, ranging from 0.80% to 1.50%, acts as an internal lubricant, greatly improving the alloy’s machinability compared to non-leaded brass.
Tin, at 0.50% to 1.50%, boosts the alloy’s corrosion resistance, especially in marine environments, making it ideal for harsh conditions.
Iron, up to 0.70%, enhances the alloy’s strength and hardness, adding to its durability.
Nickel and cobalt together are limited to 1.00%, improving the alloy’s strength and corrosion resistance for demanding applications.
Aluminum, capped at 0.80%, boosts strength and corrosion resistance while enhancing casting characteristics.
Silicon, at a maximum of 0.05%, improves fluidity during casting and slightly enhances mechanical properties.
Copper ensures ductility and high thermal and electrical conductivity, making the alloy suitable for heat and electrical transfer applications.
Zinc strengthens and hardens the alloy while enhancing its resistance to corrosion, making it more durable and reliable.
Lead significantly improves the machinability of the alloy, acting as a lubricant during machining processes and extending the life of cutting tools.
Tin enhances corrosion resistance, particularly in marine environments, ensuring the alloy performs well in harsh conditions.
Iron increases the alloy’s strength and hardness, contributing to its overall durability and ability to withstand mechanical stresses.
Nickel and cobalt enhance the alloy’s strength and corrosion resistance, making it suitable for demanding applications.
Aluminum improves the casting characteristics, making it easier to produce complex components, and adds to the alloy’s strength and corrosion resistance.
Silicon improves the fluidity of the molten alloy during casting, ensuring better mold filling and reducing defects, while slightly enhancing mechanical properties.
Leaded Yellow Brass UNS C85700 has several important mechanical properties that make it suitable for a variety of uses.
UNS C85700 has a minimum tensile strength of 40 ksi (276 MPa) and a yield strength at 0.5% extension under load of at least 14 ksi (97 MPa). These properties measure the material’s ability to withstand stress and deformation under load.
The material can stretch up to 15% in 2 inches (50 mm) before breaking, indicating good ductility. This high elongation allows the material to absorb significant energy before failure.
UNS C85700 typically has a Brinell Hardness Number (BHN) of 75 with a 500 kg load, showing its resistance to permanent indentation. This hardness ensures durability and resistance to wear in various applications.
The physical properties of UNS C85700 contribute to its performance in diverse environments and applications.
With a density of 0.304 lb/in³ at 68 °F (8.41 gm/cm³ at 20 °C) and thermal conductivity of 48.5 Btu/sq ft/ft hr/°F at 68 °F (83.9 W/m at 20 °C), UNS C85700 efficiently manages weight and heat transfer. These properties are crucial for applications requiring lightweight materials with good thermal management.
UNS C85700 has an electrical conductivity of 22% IACS at 68 °F (0.128 MegaSiemens/cm at 20 °C), making it suitable for electrical applications. This conductivity supports the efficient transmission of electrical currents.
The coefficient of thermal expansion is 12 · 10^-6 per °F (68-572 °F) or 20.7 · 10^-6 per °C (20-300 °C), indicating how the material expands or contracts with temperature changes. This property is important for maintaining dimensional stability under varying thermal conditions.
The fabrication properties of UNS C85700, such as machinability, soldering, brazing, and welding suitability, make it a versatile material for manufacturing and engineering applications.
UNS C85700 is highly machinable with a rating of 80, and it also solders well, ensuring strong connections in various applications. The lead content in the alloy acts as an internal lubricant, enhancing machinability and improving production efficiency.
Brazing is rated fair, meaning it requires careful control to achieve good results. This process involves joining metals using a filler metal and is feasible with UNS C85700, though it demands precise handling.
Welding is generally not recommended for UNS C85700 due to the presence of lead, which can cause issues like porosity and cracking. This limitation should be considered when planning assemblies that might require welding.
By understanding these properties, engineers and manufacturers can effectively utilize UNS C85700 in a variety of applications, ensuring optimal performance and reliability.
Leaded Yellow Brass UNS C85700 is widely used in various industrial applications due to its combination of strength, machinability, and corrosion resistance.
UNS C85700 is prized for its moderate strength and excellent machinability in mechanical component manufacturing. These qualities make it perfect for creating intricate parts, such as gears, bearings, and valves, used in various machinery and equipment.
Its corrosion resistance, especially in marine environments, makes UNS C85700 ideal for marine hardware and ship trim. Components like propeller shafts, marine fittings, and decorative elements on ships benefit from the alloy’s resilience in harsh, salty conditions.
Its fresh water corrosion resistance and machinability make UNS C85700 excellent for plumbing fittings and flanges, commonly used in faucets, valves, and other durable fixtures.
UNS C85700 is also popular in consumer products that require both aesthetic appeal and functionality.
UNS C85700’s resonant frequency and damping capacity make it ideal for musical instruments. Brass instruments like trumpets, trombones, and saxophones benefit from its rich, warm sound.
In construction, UNS C85700 is used for builders hardware because of its strength, durability, and attractive appearance. It is often used for door handles, locks, hinges, and other hardware that must endure frequent use and maintain a polished appearance.
Specialized applications, such as ornamental hardware, benefit from the unique properties of UNS C85700.
Its aesthetic appeal and high polish make UNS C85700 suitable for ornamental hardware. This includes railings, light fixtures, and other architectural details that need both visual appeal and durability.
UNS C85700’s strength and tamper resistance make it ideal for prison door hardware. This includes locks, hinges, and other components that must withstand high stress and ensure security.
One of the most notable benefits of Leaded Yellow Brass UNS C85700 is its outstanding resistance to corrosion. This property makes it ideal for use in both marine and freshwater environments, where the copper and zinc in the alloy provide robust protection against corrosion. This ensures longevity and reliability, particularly in applications such as plumbing fittings, flanges, and marine hardware.
Leaded Yellow Brass UNS C85700 is also known for its excellent machinability, a direct result of the lead content in the alloy. The lead acts as an internal lubricant, reducing friction during machining processes. This enhances tool life, improves cutting speeds, and allows for the efficient production of complex and precise components. Additionally, the alloy’s good soldering capability further aids in its ease of fabrication, enabling strong and durable joints.
The alloy’s yellow color and ability to be polished to a high shine make it perfect for decorative applications such as builder’s hardware, musical instruments, and ornamental pieces. This aesthetic quality, combined with its durability, ensures that components not only perform well but also maintain a visually appealing finish over time.
UNS C85700 offers a balanced mix of mechanical properties, including moderate tensile strength and hardness. These characteristics make it ideal for applications requiring strength and wear resistance, such as mechanical components and sleeve bearings. The alloy’s excellent tribological properties, referring to its performance under conditions involving friction and wear, further enhance its suitability for dynamic applications.
The alloy’s casting properties, including medium casting yield, high drossing, and medium fluidity, make it suitable for various methods like sand casting, centrifugal casting, and continuous casting. These properties facilitate the production of high-quality cast components with intricate shapes and fine details, making the alloy versatile for different manufacturing processes.
While not as conductive as pure copper, UNS C85700 has enough electrical and thermal conductivity for many applications, making it suitable for electrical hardware and heat exchangers. This ensures efficient performance in systems that require effective heat dissipation or electrical current transmission.
The combination of corrosion resistance, machinability, moderate strength, and aesthetic appeal makes UNS C85700 versatile for a range of industrial and marine applications, from marine hardware to plumbing fittings and mechanical components. Overall, Leaded Yellow Brass UNS C85700 offers a blend of performance, ease of fabrication, and visual appeal, making it a valuable material across various industries.
Below are answers to some frequently asked questions:
Leaded Yellow Brass UNS C85700 is composed of 58.00% – 64.00% Copper (Cu), 0.80% – 1.50% Lead (Pb), 0.50% – 1.50% Tin (Sn), 32.00% – 40.00% Zinc (Zn), with a maximum of 0.70% Iron (Fe), 1.00% Nickel (Ni) + Cobalt (Co), 0.80% Aluminum (Al), and 0.05% Silicon (Si).
The mechanical properties of UNS C85700, a Leaded Yellow Brass alloy, include a minimum tensile strength of 40 ksi (276 MPa), a minimum yield strength of 14 ksi (97 MPa) at 0.5% extension under load, a minimum elongation of 15% in 2 inches or 50 mm, and a typical Brinell Hardness Number (BHN) of 75. These properties make it suitable for applications requiring moderate strength and good machinability.
Leaded Yellow Brass UNS C85700 is commonly used in a variety of applications due to its favorable properties. Typical uses include mechanical components, marine hardware, and plumbing fittings in industrial settings. It is also utilized in consumer products such as musical instruments and builders hardware, including door and window hardware, owing to its pleasing yellow color, moderate strength, and corrosion resistance. Additionally, it is employed in specialized uses like ornamental hardware and prison door hardware, where aesthetics and durability are important.
The lead content in UNS C85700 Leaded Yellow Brass significantly enhances its machinability. Lead acts as an internal lubricant during machining, reducing friction and allowing for higher cutting speeds. It also serves as a microscopic chip breaker, helping to produce smaller, more manageable chips and preventing long, stringy chips that can complicate machining operations. This makes the machining process more efficient and extends the life of cutting tools. The presence of lead, therefore, is crucial for achieving efficient, cost-effective machining while maintaining the alloy’s desirable properties such as strength and corrosion resistance.
