This alloy, like gold, but it is much cheaper.Known in ancient Rome, but re-opened in the XVIII century.Combining the excellent properties of two chemical elements, brass has found a wide field of application.
composition
Despite noble color and appearance, brass - an alloy of copper and zinc, gold and other precious metals there.In addition to these two components, to improve the physicochemical properties and other substances are used: manganese, tin, iron, silicon, nickel, lead, and so on. G. Typically, the proportion of these impurities is not more than 10%.The rest of the brass composition more or less constant, while the ratio of components may vary.Generally the zinc content does not exceed 30-35%, but its share technical alloys can reach up to 50%.
Properties
Since brass - an alloy of copper and zinc, its characteristics in common with their qualities.Depending on the ratio of the components, the color may vary from red to light yellow.Its density is 8500 kg / m3 and a melting temperature reaches 880-950 degrees Celsius.Brass processed well as the pressure in the hot and cold state, has good mechanical characteristics, resists external influence, but uncoated eventually black.Brass and copper is not always easy to distinguish from each other the layman, however first has a hardness, wear resistance, it is less refractory, but more malleable and viscous, and therefore easier to process.Depending on the content of the base metal, different thermal and electrical conductivity of brass - than its share is higher, the more pronounced these properties.
value in the history of
Despite the fact that the most famous and most important copper alloy - a bronze, brass also played a role in history.Despite the fact that its second main component - zinc - was open only in the XVI century, it was known in ancient times.Romans floated galmeem copper - ore, but this method is obsolete.Secondary brass was opened in England in the XVIII century and quickly gained popularity because it is very reminiscent of the gold, for which it is often betrayed.In Russia, this alloy is often called the "yellow copper".Even now, in some places you can find a name.
After the "second birth" for brass used crucibles in which the developing temperature to 1000 degrees Celsius.Couples saturated with copper, zinc, and if it had no impurities, the output we get the desired result.Products made of this alloy have been used widely because of its cheapness and properties is allowed.By the way, despite the fact that for a long time in the history books wrote that the monument to Minin and Pozharsky in Moscow, cast in bronze, restorers said that in fact it is made of a different alloy of copper - brass.Today, this substance is still a lot of applications, so worthy of accessibility and universal replacement there, perhaps soon.
Getting
As has become clear, brass - an alloy of copper and zinc, and (if necessary) some other components, but there is one small problem.Especially this difficulty inconvenience in commercial production.The fact that the melting point of zinc and copper separately differ too much, so to facilitate the task of alloy added ligature - small amounts of the finished composition.
Further treatment depends on the desired result.The alloy is added to the other components, doped, punched, shaped, and so on. D. Despite all the difficulties, world production and consumption of this product remains high.
Varieties and standards
First of all, distinguish between wrought and cast brass.Standard provides for their individual numbers: 15527-07 and 17711-93 respectively.In Russia, the alloy labeled as "L" with the figure, which indicates the proportion of copper.If, however, a lot of components, the result is marking may look something like this: LAZhMts66-6-3-2.This will mean that, in addition to 66% copper, this stamp contains 6% aluminum, 3% iron, and 2% manganese.The proportion of zinc is calculated as the difference between 100% and the amount of other elements.In this case 23%.By analogy names and other brand brass.These additives allow the alloy to acquire new properties and improving existing ones.Depending on the input of the brass of various substances, commonly referred to as its aluminum, silicon, and so zhelezomargantsovistoy. N.
In Europe and the United States adopted other names brands such as CuZn37 or S27200.It is also slightly different ratio of impurities, but in general the composition of brass from different manufacturers is sufficiently uniform.
Furthermore, depending on the zinc content in the alloy is also distinguished tombak (10%) and polutompaki (from 10% to 20%).Yet sometimes certain brand names acquired in accordance with the scope of the basic use.So distinguished "sea", "hour" and some other brass.
Application
Realms use this alloy are countless.The relative cheapness and ease of processing, as well as its properties enabled brass become virtually universal.She pulled into wire and rods, punched in sheets of it makes even the thinnest foil.
pipes, small and large parts, accessories and fittings - it is used in the automotive industry, instrumentation, chemistry, and it is used in the manufacture of a variety of decorative items, badges and so on. D. It is just a short list.It is all around us, and in fact brass - an alloy of copper and zinc - a rather common elements.So, perhaps, its versatility and affordability all just at hand.
In jewelry
generally believed that jewelry should be made of precious metals: gold, silver, platinum.But the rules of fashion, and has been for some time during the day many women prefer discreet jewelry.Brass whose color is close to gold, is indispensable in this case.In addition, it lends itself perfectly polished, so that the proper composition and talent jeweler jewelry, made of an alloy can be very nice and expensive.So that laymen do not even suspect that it is not gold, and brass.Photos usually just does not convey the beauty of finely crafted products, so it is better to choose such jewelry personally.
happens that fashionable women suffer due to allergies and irritations.At first glance it may seem that the whole blame is brass.But as a rule, it is not.In most cases, it causes a pathological reaction of nickel, which makes the color and overall appearance of the alloy is much more beautiful.If you have a tendency to allergies to metals, it is better to choose the decorations, which are not a part of this component.Typically, manufacturers specify this separately.
Analogs
Since brass - an alloy of copper and zinc, and there are more first, it may seem that pure metals (each separately) have better properties, such as the complexity of the material used to reduce the cost.In fact it is not so.Copper in pure form has disadvantages such as instability in corrosion, lower ductility compared with alloys of zinc and extremely fragile.Brass organically combines the best properties of both components vzavimokompensiruya disadvantages.
Other copper alloys - bronze, nickel silver, and so on. D. - Also can not be fully called peers.First less plastic and more coarse, while the second material is quite refractory and because of the nickel content can cause skin irritation.In addition, the external characteristics also tied for first place brass.Color similar to gold, compares favorably with not too attractive brown bronze and silver nickel silver.
World Market
Industrial production brass began almost immediately after its re-opening.Assessing its unique properties, metallurgists began to develop a new trend in the industry.Today, the production and consumption of brass mainly depends on the state of the world market of copper.Its steady growth gives reason to believe that demand for alloys is not falling.Moreover, predictions about the future of these industries more than favorable, despite the problems, such as declining quality of ore, lack of infrastructure, social and political tensions in the largest suppliers of copper - Chile and some African countries.
main consumers of copper, brass and thus are economically developed countries of Europe and the United States, China, Japan and others.In recent years, demand for these substances only grows primarily due Asians.Having made a giant leap in the mid-2000s, the price of Cu remained at the same record level.However, in 2016 it is expected to peak supply which is likely to trigger a decline in prices.
