Brass Angle, Tube, or Sheet—Getting to Know Your Brass First

Of the 118 elements on the periodic table, 91 are metal. Most of these metallic elements can be combined to form even stronger materials. Metals that consist of two or more metallic elements are called alloys. Sometimes, even non-metallic elements, such as carbon, are added to enhance the properties of certain alloys. One of the most widely used alloys in brass. The following are basic facts about brass that might interest you.

Origin

Brass was first used as a decorative material in China as early as the 5th century BC. It was said that this metal was discovered purely by accident when metalworkers at the time smelted zinc-rich copper ores. Since then, zinc and copper have been combined intentionally in different proportions to produce materials that are comparable to bronze. Over time, the process of mixing copper and zinc had improved. By the end of the millennium, metallurgists could already create pure brass at 17-30% zinc content.

Composition

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. Sometimes, other elements, such as arsenic, lead, phosphorus, aluminum, manganese, and silicon are added into the mixture in miniscule amounts to enhance the qualities of brass. Different proportions of each metal produce different variants of brass. Each variant can be utilized for certain applications where ordinary brass is inadequate. Read more from this article: http://www.rotaxmetals.net/brass-angle-tube-or-sheet-getting-to-know-your-brass-first/