7 Differences between Bronze and Brass

Bronze vs Brass. They are so alike! How to differentiate them? What do they use them for? How did they arise?

They are so alike! How to differentiate them? What do they use them for? How did they arise?

It is very important that we know their differences so that they do not deceive us. Next we will shred its main differences. Let’s start with the origin of each one:

Bronze vs Brass -Emergence

The first difference between bronce and brass is when it arose.

The first known existence of bronze dates from around 3500 BC. C. and of the Sumerians, and lends its name to the bronze age. The discovery of bronze allowed people to create better metal objects than before. Tools, weapons, armor and various building materials, such as decorative tiles, made of bronze were harder and more durable than their stone and copper.

The brass arrived later dating back to around 500 BC. Zinc is practically never naturally found in its pure state, but people had realized that molten copper with calamine, a zinc ore, produced a gold-colored tarnish-resistant metal that was useful for all kinds of things because partly to its low content. melting point and malleability. Zinc itself is not seen, but it is released from the calamine ore by heating and is immediately combined with copper.

Composition of Bronze

The second difference between bronze and brass is composition.

The composition of both alloys depends on the particular use. 

In the case of Bronze, its basic composition is  88% copper and 12% tin called Alpha Bronze. But it can also be combined with other elements such as phosphorus, manganese, aluminum or silicon.

Composition of Brass

The basic composition of Brass is copper and zinc. The percentage of zinc is always kept below 50% and may appear in different proportions.

You may also like…

• 

• 

• 

Properties of Bronze and Brass

The third difference between bronze and brass are the properties of each.

Bronze – melting temperature is between 830 to 1020 ° C. It is hard and brittle.

Brass – melting temperature is between 900 and 940 ° C. and it flows when it melts, which facilitates casting in molds.

Brass has more malleability than Bronze and is a material that molds easily and when it comes to hot stamping.

Uses of Bronze and Brass

The fourth difference between bronze and brass is its use.

in Musical Instruments

Bronze is the most popular metal for high-quality bells, particularly bell metal, which is approximately 23% tin. Almost all professional dishes are made of a bronze alloy. The alloy used in the bronze cymbal drum kit is unique in the desired balance of durability and timbre. Phosphor bronze is also used in guitar and piano strings.

The malleability and acoustic properties of brass have made it the metal of choice for brass musical instruments such as the trombone, the tuba, the trumpet, the bugle, the euphonium, the tenor tube, and the tube. Although the saxophone is classified as a woodwind instrument and the harmonica is a free blade aerophone, both are also often made of brass.

In the Art

Many common bronze alloys have the unusual and highly desirable property of expanding slightly before setting, thus filling in the finer details of mold so widely used for cast bronze sculpture.

 As it was one of the first metals, for millennia it was the basic alloy for the manufacture of weapons and utensils, and goldsmiths of all ages have used it in jewelry, medals, and sculpture. Coins minted bronze alloys played an important role in trade and the world economy.

But when brass emerged due to its shiny gold appearance and relative resistance to tarnish, it is often used for decoration, statues and coins and bijouteries.

Machinery Parts

Bronze is ideally used today for springs, bearings, bushings, automobile transmission pilot bearings, and similar accessories. It is particularly common in small electric motor bearings. Phosphor bronze is especially suitable for precision bearings and springs. Bronze was especially suitable for use in boat and boat accessories before the extensive use of stainless steel due to its combination of toughness and corrosion resistance of saltwater. Bronze is still commonly used in ship propellers and submerged bearings.

Alpha bronze alloy with 4 to 5% tin is used to coin coins and to make springs, turbines, and cutting tools.

In the case of brass, it is used for applications where low friction is required, such as locks, gears, bearings, doorknobs, ammunition, and valves. It is used for plumbing and electricity applications.

Magnetism of Bronze and Brass

The Bronze and Brass Magnetism is the fifth difference.

In magnetism there are three types of materials:

1. Ferromagnetic: Which are strongly attracted to magnetic fields, and mainly are alloys of iron, nickel, and cobalt; notice that these three metals are together in Mendeleev’s chart.

2. Paramagnetic: They are weakly attracted to magnetic fields, such as oxygen.

3. Diamagnetic: They are repelled weakly by magnetic fields, for example, aluminum.

Bronze – Because its components, that is, copper and tin are not magnetic, the result of its alloy, that is, bronze is that it is a metal that has no magnetism. They belong to the group of Diamagnetic materials such as gold and silver. A magnet when in contact with bronze instead of attracting it slightly repels these materials.

Brass – Because one of its components, zinc, is considered a paramagnetic material, it makes brass too. And it has a very weak attraction to magnetic fields.

You can do the following experience: But for that, you need a high strength magnet. Because copper and bronze are not ferromagnetic, even with the strongest magnets, you can reduce your options. Note that while brass is magnetic, it is very light. If you take a very strong magnet and hold it near a brass object, the object is likely to be attracted to the magnet. If your magnet is strong enough, you can at least know if your item is brass or not.

Difference Color Between Bronze and Brass

The sixth difference between the Bronze and the Brass is the color.

Bronze, when it comes out of the foundry, has a pink color and over the years it can acquire a reddish-brown color, but it transforms into dull brown, it can have a brown or greenish-black color if it has been tarnished.

In the case of Brass where there are variable mixtures, they produce a wide range of properties and variations in color. Brass can vary in color from red to yellow depending on the amount of zinc added to the alloy. It usually has a bright color similar to yellow gold.

Differents Types of Bronze and Brass

Bronze and brass differ in types.

In the case of Bronze, the types are divided into two groups. One group is one of the cases in which there is an alloy with other metals and the other group in which it is the basic alloy with different proportions. While in the case of brass the types differ in the proportion of zinc in the alloy.

5 types of bronze

The “alpha” bronze

The “alpha” bronze is the basic one that has the proportion of 88% copper and 12% tin but has an alternative. The 4 to 5% tin is used to coin coins and to make springs, turbines, and cutting tools.

Bronze for firearms

This type of bronze is composed of 90 to 91% copper and 9 to 10% tin, a proportion commonly referred to as “ordinary bronze”.

Arsenic bronze

Copper alloy with arsenic in a proportion of 70% copper and 30% arsenic. It is the first bronze used by man.

Bronze sun

This alloy is made up of 60% cobalt. It is an alloy used in jewelry, tough, ductile and very hard.

Cupro aluminium

This is a type of bronze, similar in color to gold, in which aluminum is the main alloy metal that is added to copper. A variety of aluminum bronzes, of different compositions have found industrial use.

Bell bronze

This is a particular type because it varied its compositions depending on different factors.

The alloy consists of 78% copper and 22% tin.

As it is a sound object, it was found that the highest proportion of copper produces deeper and deeper tones at equal mass, while the addition of tin, iron or zinc produces higher tones.

For this reason, an alloy with 80% copper and 20% tin was used to make bells, large gongs, and timpani. 

In England, an alloy consisting of 80% copper, 10.25% tin, 5.50% zinc and 4.25% lead was used. It is of lesser loudness, taking into account that lead is not homogenized with the alloy.

For bells and small instruments, an alloy of 68% copper and 32% tin.

3 types of Brass

• AlphaBrass of the first title, with a percentage of Zn less than 34%
• The brass of the second title, with a percentage of Zn from 33 to 44 %
• Third title brass with percentages of Zn greater than 42% with hardly any industrial applications.

What similarities do Bronze and Brass have????

After highlighting the differences between these two metals, it is very interesting to incorporate what they have in common as well. Of course, they are very similar that we can easily confuse them. Notice what things they have in common:

Both bronze and brass are alloys, that is, it is a combination of metallic properties, which is composed of two or more solid metallic elements. In this case, what they have in common is their base metal: copper.

Another thing in common is that both are very good conductors of heat and electricity and resistant to corrosion. Mainly to saltwater. For that reason, they were used for a long time and are still used on ship parts as hatches.

But something that caught my attention is its germicidal and antimicrobial property. 

In hospital architecture, the use of bronze fittings indoors and stairs (handles, handles, and handrails) is recommended. Bronze, being a copper alloy, helps reduce the spread of pathogenic organisms. It is also advisable to use copper or its alloys (bronze, brass, and German silver) in the interior architecture of high-traffic buildings, such as the subway, public institutions, museums, hotels, restaurants, among others, in handrails, handles, handles and service counters.

That is due to the bactericidal properties of brass have been observed for centuries, particularly in marine environments where it prevents bio incrustation. Depending on the type and concentration of pathogens and the environment in which they are found, brass kills these microorganisms in a matter of minutes to hours of contact.

A large number of independent studies confirm this antimicrobial effect, even against antibiotic-resistant bacteria such as MRSA and VRSA. The mechanisms of antimicrobial action of copper and its alloys, including brass, are the subject of intense and continuous research.

Interesting, isn’t it?

Favorite