Brass types
Brass mesh is the term used to refer to the wide range of zinc and copper alloys. There are plenty of different types of brass. There are more than 60 according to the European Norm Standards. These copper-zinc alloys have different compositions and are dependent upon the properties that are needed for a specific application. You can also classify brasses according to their crystal structure, mechanical properties, color or zinc content.
The most essential distinction among brasses is their crystal structures. The reason for this main distinction is that the combination of zinc and copper is often characterized by its peritectic solidification. Peritectic solidification refers to two elements which have different atomic structures and are combined in a unique way which depends on the temperature and the content ratio.
With different factors playing, there are different types of crystal structure formed which are as follows:
- Alpha brass. This type of brass contains not more than 37 percent of zinc melted into a copper material. It is named alpha because of the homogeneous formation of crystal structure. This type of brass is much softer than others, can be easily welded, brazed and cold worked.
- Alpha-beta brass. This type of brass contains zinc in the range of 37 to 45 percent. It is made up of both the beta grain structure which is quite similar to pure zinc as well as of alpha grain structure. This is more common compared to alpha brass. It is also much stronger and harder. It is for these features that it is usually hot worked through die-casting and extrusion or stamping.
- Beta brass. This type of brass is rarely used compared to the alpha and alpha-beta. Though not widely used, it comprises a third group of the alloy that has more than 45 percent of zinc content. The beta brass is much stronger and harder than the above brasses. It can only be cast or hot worked.
- high tensile brasses which includes elements such as aluminum, iron and manganese
- free machining brass with 3 percent lead
- dezincification resistant brasses with the inclusion of arsenic
- brasses used in cold working
- naval brasses
- casting brasses made up of 60/40 brass