Brass is golden yellow, stronger and harder. She does not oxidize as intensely, not so plastic.

Sometimes, depending on the purpose of the alloy, they add:

• silicon;
• manganese.

Similarities and differences

The brass alloy is mostly made up of copper, so it is natural that they similar not only visually, but also with some properties. The more copper in the alloy, the more similar their colors will be. This is where the exact coincidences end.

Visually easy to distinguish brass alloys, where copper less than 80%. They are slightly similar to gold, as they have a pronounced yellow tint. The more zinc, the lighter the shade.

Because of this, brass is even used for counterfeiting or imitation gold. Copper has a main shade of reddish, which often has a pink tint.

With a strong decrease in temperature, brass does not lose its relatively limited ductility and doesn't become fragile. Conducts electricity and heat worse.

They differ in the following ways: hardness.

Copper softer, more flexible, and brass, on the contrary, hard and it is difficult to give it any shape without annealing.

The shavings are also different: for brass - needle-shaped, for copper – twisted into a spiral.

Let's look at the properties that brass and copper have and whether they have any differences:

How to tell the difference?

Most often you can distinguish by:

• mind;
• weight;
• degree of hardness

without the use of any tools or equipment.

But there are situations when for accuracy it is necessary engage:

• reagents,
• tools,
• devices.

Before assessing the scrap that you are going to take to the collection point, you need to clean it of dirt, otherwise you won’t be able to accurately determine it by eye.

By color

Both metals, although to varying degrees, can be coated patina.

Therefore, do not forget to clean the scrap well.

If an object has been in the open air or in water for a long time, the patina layer is difficult to remove.

Sometimes it will be justified to buy a special cleaning products.

It is advisable to inspect the scrap under a powerful white light.

This means that you can look either under the sun on a fine day, or under bright fluorescent lamp. Incandescent lamp is not suitable.

Pure copper will have a reddish-brown tint, sometimes with a pink tint. Keep in mind that brass can be red or orange. This type is commonly used for decorations and water pipes.

If the material has an orange, yellow or golden tint, you can be almost sure that it is brass.

If you are involved in the collection and delivery of scrap metal, then it will be useful for you to know. If you don’t know where to find ferrous metals, then read this. Not sure which metal detector model to choose? Check out our review of popular models.

She still happens light golden, pale yellow, and even off white, but is very rare for metal detectors, since such an alloy is difficult to process and is used mainly in jewelry.

By sound

Another method that does not require special skills or equipment. You can learn to distinguish metals by sound after a short training. Hit the object with something metal. If it is made of copper, then the sound will be muted, low. This happens because the metal is soft.

Usually visual inspection and inspection enough for sound and hardness for determination in the field.

On the contrary, brass will make a noise when struck voiced And high sound. The second most important inspection method for those who deal with scrap metal is after visual assessment in the light. But this method is justified only with large and voluminous objects - you need something to make a sound.

By hardness

Copper, as mentioned above, is a soft metal. Brass was specially created to increase the hardness of copper while maintaining some of its other characteristics. Therefore, when damage is caused to a scrap, copper will be the material that easier to deform. Brass endures blows.

By labeling

If an item has markings on it, identifying the metal or alloy can be simple and accurate.

As a rule, brass is marked with a mark that begins with the symbol "L".

Accordingly, copper marking begins with "M". True, copper quite often does not have any markings.

Here are some transcripts which may be useful:

1. Copper marking starts with one letter "M", followed by numbers. Letter "L" on brass products there is more than one, it can be followed by more letters, and only then numbers.
2. In the United States and Canada there is a system UNS, according to which a mark is placed on brass C2, C3, C4.
3. In the European Union, both metals are marked with the letter WITH, it all depends on the subsequent letters. For copper they will A, B, C, D, and for a brass alloy – L, M, N, P And R.
4. Not so long ago, labeling consisting of icons of chemical elements was common. For example, CuZn(cuprum - zinc) will mean brass.

By weight

Brass is lighter than copper due to the addition of zinc. But in order to determine from a shapeless piece whether it is metal or an alloy, experience is required.

By chips

This test will require a metal drill or access to a machine to get the chips.

Brass will have it, as experts say, needle-shaped, since the material is hard.

It's kind of loose.

In copper, the shavings will be more plastic, so they often don’t even break and it turns out ornate, one continuous spiral.

Acid analysis

If you encounter a brass brand L-96, which means the presence of 96% copper in the alloy; it is difficult to distinguish it from metal without analysis. You can use hydrochloric acid for this. If you drop it on pure copper, it will simply cleanse it of patina and will not react with the metal itself.

If you apply hydrochloric acid to brass, then zinc will react and a white oxide will appear on the surface - zinc chloride.

This may provide additional guidance.

Tools Made exclusively from brass, it is harder.

Some parts of wind musical instruments are made from copper.

In principle, you need to start from the purpose of the item - if it should be:

• reliable, reliable
• hard,
• stiff,

then for its manufacture, most likely, they used brass.

If on the contrary, you need plastic, high electrical or thermal conductivity, then this is copper.

By heating

Another method in which you need to use a gas burner.

The indicator here will be zinc oxide, which forms in the form of a pale white ash-colored coating only on brass if it is heated to a temperature above 600 degrees.

Conclusion

People involved in the collection, delivery and acceptance of non-ferrous scrap need to know and be able to distinguish externally similar non-ferrous metals. The ability to identify can pay off big, as brass at collection points costs almost twice as much

Bronze has been used by humans to create various products - from weapons to jewelry - since ancient times. The history of this metal began at least five thousand years ago. Despite the fact that bronze has a number of striking external features that distinguish it from other metals, people often confuse bronze with brass, copper or other materials. How to distinguish bronze from other metals - read below.

It so happens that in most cases bronze is confused with brass and copper. This is explained by the similarity in shades and colors of these three metals. So, bronze is an alloy of aluminum, tin, copper, and lead. Brass is also an alloy that contains copper. Externally, bronze differs from brass in being darker in color. Bronze is in most cases dark brown, while brass is yellowish. In addition, bronze has a coarse grain, while brass has a fine grain. Another way is weight. Bronze, as a rule, is much heavier than brass, so if in doubt, just pick up the product and weigh it. The heavier one is most likely bronze.

However, visual inspection is not the most reliable way. You can be sure that this is bronze and not brass or copper by experiment. When heated, bronze does not acquire any tint, while brass becomes covered with an ashy “patina” - zinc oxide. In addition, as a result of heating, brass acquires plasticity, while bronze does not change its properties. However, if you try to slightly bend a heated bronze element, it will break, whereas brass will only bend.

The situation is approximately the same with copper. Unlike bronze, it has a pronounced reddish tint. At the same time, bronze, as mentioned above, has a darker, brown tint. In addition, copper is more ductile. You can verify this by comparing two thin wires, one of which is copper and the other is brass. When exposed to salt water, copper will become slightly darker, while bronze will not change color.

Despite the fact that there are some characteristics by which bronze can be visually or experimentally distinguished from other metals at home, an accurate analysis can only be carried out by a specialist. That is why if you are not sure that this is a bronze product, it is better to seek advice from a professional in order to avoid mistakes.

A striking example of how souvenirs and other works should look can be the bronze collection of the Russian gift shop “Great Rus'”. The gallery presents hundreds of diverse works by domestic masters, specialists in artistic bronze - from small “cabinet” sculptures to exclusive and unique works created in a single copy.

Bronze and brass are common copper alloys. A number of brands of such compositions are similar to each other in appearance, but their chemical and physical characteristics have serious differences.

Bronze is a double (multicomponent) alloy of copper and at least 2.5% alloying additives in the form of tin, manganese, lead, chromium, phosphorus, aluminum, iron, beryllium or iron. The compositions are marked with the letters “Br” and a combination of alloying inclusions. “BrA5” is bronze, consisting of 95% copper and 5% aluminum.

Brass is a double (multicomponent) copper composition with the inclusion of zinc in the form of an alloying modifier, and less often - nickel, lead, iron or manganese. Wrought brass alloys are designated by the letter “L” and a number that determines the average% content of copper (Cu), “L70” – brass with 70% Cu. Alloyed deformable compositions are marked with information about the name and amount of additional impurities, LAZH60-1-1 - brass with 60% Cu, alloyed with aluminum (1%) and iron (1%).

Defining differences between copper alloys:

• Appearance. Bronze has a red, red-yellow or dark brownish surface with a coarse-grained structure, brass has a yellow tint and a fine-grained structure. The exception is bronze with tin inclusion of 40-45% (silver) and 33% (silver-white).
• Reaction to salt water. Objects made of bronze do not deteriorate if exposed to sea water for a long time, but objects made of brass may be damaged.
• Chemical reaction to nitric acid (HNO 3). To determine the alloy from which the product is made, you need to: scrape a couple of grams of metal shavings, place them in a beaker, add a solution of HNO 3 with water (1:1) and bring the mixture almost to a boil. After 30 minutes, evaluate the result: colorless liquid - an object made of brass, the presence of a white precipitate - made of bronze.
• Heat response. If you heat both compositions to 600-650°C (gasoline burner), then the brass will be covered with a grayish oxide film (zinc deposit), and the bronze will remain unchanged.
• Flexibility. Brass bends under increased pressure, but does not break. The bronze will crack at the bend.
• Presence of zinc. The positive pole of the battery is connected to the product. A piece of filter paper soaked in sulfuric acid (H 2 SO 4) is placed on its surface. A strip of copper is placed on top of the paper, which should be connected to the negative pole for 15 seconds. Filter paper is placed on a glass slide, a couple of drops of ammonia (NH 3) and mercuric thiocyanate (Hg(SCN) 2) are added on top. If the paper turns purple-black, it means it contains zinc and the product is made of brass. Otherwise there will be no reactions.

Price is not a criterion by which one can determine with 100% certainty the type of alloy used. The cost of the trains is approximately the same. Tin bronzes are more expensive than silicon bronzes. The price of brass depends on the concentration of copper in the composition - the more there is, the more expensive it is.

Bronze is an order of magnitude heavier than brass and acceptance of bronze scrap carried out at a higher price. If you pick up metal products of equal volumes, bronze will be noticeably heavier. Another difference between alloys is reliability. Bronze is stronger. It has a low coefficient of friction and is resistant to corrosion. Brass is softer and more susceptible to wear. This determines the scope of use of the compositions: bronze is used to create highly artistic structures, components and mechanisms subject to heavy loads, and brass in its pure form is suitable for the production of medals, decorative items, fasteners and bimetal (steel-brass).

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What is the advantage of Viega bronze fittings over brass ones, which are sold in huge quantities here. And does it exist?

Let's start with the most important thing - reliability. It's no secret that many people have already experienced the consequences of using low-quality fittings. And it’s good if the consequence of this is a small leak. What if there are 10 floors below you? And also expensive repairs. In this case, small savings can lead to significant costs. And how many nerves will be lost.

But brass fittings were used back in Soviet times and nothing leaked. That's how it is. But, unfortunately, that brass is now becoming increasingly difficult to find on sale. The market was filled with Chinese products. And the brass in these products does not always meet the standards. And some domestic and European manufacturers make their products in China. And everything would be fine if the quality of these parts was constantly monitored. But judging by the number of accidents that occur, this is not happening. So is it worth the risk? Moreover, such parts can collapse in 2-3, or even 5 years. Have you already done the repairs? And now everything is new.

And now about bronze fittings from Viega. This German company has more than a century of experience in casting technology. This allows us to ensure the highest quality products. All bronze fittings are produced using our own modern automated equipment. The result is 100% quality. This means that when using such fittings in your system, you don’t have to worry about them. The bronze fitting will not experience corrosion cracking. Zinc that is not there will not be washed out. Keep heavy metals such as nickel and lead out of your water.

Well, now about the technical features of bronze fittings from Viega. The external thread of the fittings is made conical. And the inner one is cylindrical. As a result, when twisting two parts by hand, you will not be able to twist them more than halfway. But then only from the key. This improves connection reliability with less compaction and less force. And the corrugation of the external thread simplifies the work even more.

Another plus of Viega bronze fittings. Nowadays, systems often contain components made from different materials. And this leads to electrochemical corrosion. To eliminate this phenomenon, it is enough to place one bronze separator between two different materials. And the transition from one system to another will be carried out safely.

Thus, to meet hygienic requirements, reliability and durability standards, it is difficult to do without bronze.

Well, the last argument in favor of bronze fittings is the price. Let's compare at least one position - nipple 1/2. The price of a Chinese fitting in our store is 40 rubles. In retail stores about 50 rubles. And the price of a 1/2 bronze nipple is 60 rubles. Think and make your choice. It's up to you to decide.

It is a double or multi-component copper-based alloy, where the main element is zinc, sometimes lead, nickel, manganese, tin, iron or other elements are added. According to the metallurgical classification, it does not belong to bronze.

Methods for producing brass were already known to the ancient Romans; they smelted copper with zinc ore. Pure zinc was only used to make brass in 1781 in England, and in the 19th century the special color of this metal allowed it to be used as counterfeit gold, a practice that spread to many countries. Currently, this alloy is used to produce steel-brass bimetal - this is very convenient and guarantees resistance to rusting, abrasion, and in addition, the products are quite ductile. In addition to its industrial significance, the so-called tombak (a type of brass) is used in the manufacture of artistic products, accessories and insignia.

Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin, aluminum, silicon, lead, beryllium and other elements. However, it is tin that is most often used to produce high-quality bronze. There are also alloys that use zinc and/or nickel. They are called spiater and, in fact, are a cheap analogue of bronze.

Man learned to smelt traditional tin bronze at the beginning of the Bronze Age and it was widely used for a very long time; even with the advent of the iron age, bronze did not lose its importance and (in particular, until the 19th century, guns were made from gunmetal The name "bronze" comes from the Italian bronzo, which in turn probably came either from the Persian word "berenj", meaning copper, or from the name of the city of Brindisi, from which this material was transported to Rome. Depending on the presence of a particular metal, there are tin, aluminum, beryllium and silicon bronzes. Based on this feature, bronze can be divided into two large groups - tin and tin-free. Arsenic bronze once even existed, but it did not become widespread.

Although bronze and brass are different materials, it is quite difficult to distinguish between them. For even an ordinary person to do this, both alloys, scales, or more complex methods using various chemical reagents will be required.

In order to distinguish these alloys in the simplest ways, you can weigh both elements or at least estimate their weight; bronze is heavier. In addition, brass is distinguished by its rich yellow tint.

When using complex methods that are the most reliable, you can heat the materials up to 600 degrees Celsius, after which zinc oxide with an ashen tint will appear on the brass, and no plaque will form on the surface of the bronze. When bent, a brass product will retain its shape, but a bronze product will break.

The difference between brass and bronze in the chemical component is that it is a copper-based alloy, where the main element is zinc, which is not an alloying element, sometimes with the addition of tin, less than zinc, otherwise traditional tin bronze is obtained. According to the metallurgical classification, brass does not belong to bronze.

If you have scrap brass or bronze and want to sell non-ferrous metal scrap at a competitive price without any problems. We will be happy to help you!

For any questions, please call 8-921-952-98-20

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