How to tell brass or bronze

What is the difference between brass and bronze? Methods for determining the difference | Hand over Metal

Alloys created on the basis of copper have similar properties and external features. For this reason, metals are often confused. The greatest difficulties arise when it is necessary to distinguish bronze from brass.

Alloys have many brands and modifications, which often coincide even in color and characteristics. It is rarely possible to identify the type of metal by external signs. When comparing brass and bronze, differences must be sought in the composition of the alloys.

To study the physicochemical properties, special equipment is required, but there are ways to determine the composition at home.

What is more expensive, brass or bronze?

The cost of metals on the market is almost the same. In some collection points the price of bronze may be higher than brass alloys, in others it’s the opposite. If you want to know the cost, go to the "Sell Scrap Brass" section. Considering the average market value, we can note:

1. Increased demand for brass. This metal is more often used for the manufacture of household products, plumbing equipment, pipes and other common goods.
2. Components. Brass alloys are mainly made using zinc, bronze alloys - with tin and a number of other additives.
3. Characteristics. With properties and physico-chemical data it is more difficult. Here the parameters depend on the percentage of copper content and additional components.

Considering these factors, the demand and composition of brass metals is more in demand, therefore the average price of this metal is 10–20 rubles per kg higher than that of bronze scrap.

What is stronger, brass or bronze?

When comparing maximum permissible loads, wear resistance and other parameters, it is important to consider that the characteristics are affected by the composition of the alloys. For comparison, it is worth taking the highest grade metals. This will help you find out how brass differs from bronze in terms of physical and chemical parameters. Having studied the data, you can note:

1. Bronze is heavier. The reason is the presence of tin. Its mass is greater than that of zinc.
2. The corrosion resistance of brass is lower. Bronze can come into contact with salt water with little or no effect, but brass alloys must be alloyed to reduce the effects of corrosion.
3. The wear resistance of bronze products is higher, since the metal has a lower coefficient of friction.

Based on these properties, it can be noted that bronze is stronger than brass when considering equally high-quality alloys.

Visual differences

What does brass look like? It is often identical to bronze. If you do not consider alloys as a whole, but take grades of metals with significant differences, then the type of alloy can be identified visually. This does not apply to tactile sensations. External signs are:

• weight - with the same dimensions, bronze products are heavier;
• color - brass products have a yellowish tint with a fine-grained texture.

These are the only ways to differentiate by species. If the external characteristics of the metals are similar, a more complex method will be required.

Heat treatment

If you have equipment that can create temperatures in the range of 600-650oC, you can determine the alloy by heating the metal. The method is used to influence brass products - the metal contains zinc.

How to determine brass or bronze? Under the influence of high temperature, zinc begins to oxidize, which leads to the formation of oxide on the surface of the brass product. The resulting coating has an ashen tint, which cannot form on bronze items under the influence of temperatures. After heat treatment, the brass alloy will become more ductile. The product will not break under heavy loads.

The thermal method is used for brass alloys based on zinc. If the alloying component is another metal, the test will not give the desired result.

Chemical method of determination

This method is the most reliable for identifying the type of alloy. However, the metals are destroyed during the reaction, so small parts of the complete product must be used for the experiment. You will also need nitric acid, which is dangerous to work with. The whole process is divided into stages:

• part of the metal breaks off from the products;
• mix water and nitric acid - 1 to 1;
• the metal is placed in the prepared solution;
• the reagents are heated to boiling temperature;
• it is necessary to maintain a boil over the fire until the metal is completely dissolved.

Next, you need to visually inspect the solution. If brass was placed in the reagent, the liquid will remain clear. Dissolved bronze will not disappear, but will contribute to the formation of a white precipitate.

The disadvantage of this method is that the bronze alloy requires tin. It is this metal that gives the white precipitate.

A magnet will help you find the differences

A less accurate, but convenient way to determine the composition at home. Among the brass and bronze alloys used to create, only iron and nickel can be attracted by a magnet.

The percentage of iron and nickel in bronze is 7–11%, and in brass no more than 1–3%. To identify the type of glory, you will need a powerful magnet. If you notice that the metal is attracted, it is probably a bronze alloy.

We carry out spectral analysis

If you have tried all the methods, but have not found an option on how to distinguish bronze from brass, it is worth conducting a spectral analysis. This method is carried out using high-tech equipment that accurately determines the composition of the alloy. This is the only way to guarantee correct detection of brass or bronze. Under the influence of radiation, the devices examine the spectrum of materials used to create the metal. The type of radiation is electromagnetic waves.

Such devices are difficult to rent and expensive to purchase. To carry out an analysis, you should contact scrap metal collection points. Our company "SdayMetall" conducts a free analysis to determine the cost of scrap before purchasing. Before handing over scrap, find out the prices for receiving bronze. We guarantee accurate results and correct payments.

Source: https://sdaymetall.ru/stati/kak-otlichit-bronzu-ot-latuni/

How to distinguish bronze from brass, how to identify them by color

Items made from copper alloys are very popular today. They have many external similarities. Having determined how to distinguish bronze from brass, you can correctly use products made from these materials. Despite the fact that they are equally attractive in appearance, there are still a number of differences between them. First of all, this concerns their properties and chemical composition.

The essence of materials

These metals are widely in demand today in the industrial sector. The color of brass and bronze of individual brands may be similar. However, they may differ in some of their properties. Bronze has been used by people for many thousands of years. Initially, bronze alloys were made, based on tin and copper.

The metallurgical industry gradually developed, and people learned to exchange tin for other elements, such as iron, for example, or lead. Silicon, aluminum or beryllium and phosphorus could also serve as worthy alternatives. Depending on which basic materials were used, bronze can be:

The first type was used to cast bells; accordingly, it was called bell type. The chemical composition of the substance may change, but this directly affects both the color of the material and its characteristics.

The key alloying component of brass is zinc. This is a copper alloy containing manganese, iron, tin or lead. All these components may be present in minor concentrations. They are needed only to change the characteristics in one direction or another. The production of brass was known even to the inhabitants of Ancient Rome. They were able to create such a material by mixing zinc and pre-molten copper.

The most efficient production method was created in England. Scientists mixed pure zinc and molten copper. This technology was first discovered in 1781.

Brass is characterized by a golden tone. Due to its good decorative properties, it was used for a long time to produce jewelry, which was later passed off as gold. Gradually, manufacturers managed to pay attention to other, no less important parameters of brass. It turned out that it is different:

• corrosion resistance;
• plasticity;
• abrasion resistance;
• hardness;
• strength.

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That is why today, as before, it is actively used in decorative products, but the range of its use does not end there. It has excellent casting properties. Accordingly, the material can be actively used in various industries.

Copper is the basis of both metals. But differences in properties and chemical composition force them to be used in different fields of application. Bronze is considered more durable and strong. Since ancient times, sculptures, bells, interior structures and landscape objects that make up parts of fences have been made from it.

This metal is characterized by good fluidity after melting. Accordingly, on its basis it is possible to form objects even with very complex shapes. In addition, various elements can be added to the composition of the material to change the color within a certain range, and other features. This is especially important when making decorative products.

Brass is more ductile. It is not as resistant to mechanical damage and durable as bronze. This metal is more susceptible to aggressive components. Its structure can be damaged by systematic exposure to sea water, and therefore its use in shipbuilding is not recommended.

Bronze, on the contrary, is used here successfully and quite actively.

The internal structure of these alloys also has a noticeable difference.

Structure and color

To determine whether brass or bronze was used to make a product, you can look at the alloys and their fracture. Brass is lighter in color and fine-grained in cut. Bronze, on the other hand, has a coarse-grained structure and is distinguished by a dark brown tint.

Materials differ in a number of characteristics. These include the following features:

• The use of tin as an alloying element in bronze, and zinc in brass. The basic component of both metals is copper.
• Bronze, including those with a traditional chemical composition, copes well with aggressive components, including salty sea water.
• To impart maximum corrosion resistance, additional alloying elements are introduced into the brass composition.

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Application area

Bronze is more durable. Based on it, you can create decorative elements of increased strength that can last for a long time. It is used for various industrial sectors when it is necessary to produce reliable parts. Brass is more often used in the manufacture of metal elements with high corrosion resistance.

Compared to copper, bronze and brass have a lower melting point . This property can be used to make various products with your own hands. True, you will have to stock up on the appropriate tools and equipment. It is also important to adhere to the rules of technological operations and study casting technology.

Source: https://vtothod.ru/othody/kak-otlichit-bronzu-ot-latuni-kak-opredelit-ih-po-tsvetu

Bronze and brass

>How to determine the brand of brass without chemical analysis

Feature of lead brass

How to determine the brand of brass without chemical analysis? This is possible if you are sure that what you have in your hands is brass and not bronze or copper. You can read the difference between copper and brass here. In practice, two brands of brass are used - L63 and LS59-1.

The remaining brands are used in narrow industries for a small range of products. L63 is a two-component brass, an alloy of copper and zinc. The remaining elements constitute impurities in accordance with the standard. LS59-1 – alloy of copper, zinc and lead, lead brass.

It is not difficult to distinguish lead brass from lead-free brass if you read this article.

Lead does not dissolve in copper, and when the alloy is cooled, it concentrates at the grain boundaries. Therefore, lead brass is well processed mechanically in a cold state, but is forged only when heated to 720-750C. Lead-free brasses are ductile at room temperature, and the ductility of L68 is higher than that of copper. We use the difference in the machinability of brass to determine the grade of brass, or at least distinguish lead brass from non-lead brass.

Three methods of determination:

1. Hammer and anvil for wire.
2. Drilling, turning for rods.
3. Scratch - for anything that can be scratched

Hammer and anvil for wire

You bite off a piece of wire, place it on an anvil or whatever replaces it, and sharply hit the wire with a hammer several times. Lead brass wire will crack and the crack, as a rule, runs in the middle and along the wire.

L63 brass wire can be riveted and the thickness reduced several times without cracking. Before determining the brand of wire, I recommend practicing with the impact force on a well-known brand.

This method seems primitive until you try its effectiveness.

What should you pay attention to? The wire is produced in hard, semi-hard and soft states. Soft lead wire is more easily deformed, but a crack will still form from a sharp blow with a hammer. With a high degree of deformation, L63 can also burst, but the differences from LS59-1 are significantly noticeable. We need to get our hands on it.

Drilling, turning

Lead brass is called “loose” because of the type of shavings. The chips are small without curls. With lead-free brass, the shavings curl into “springs.” A chip sample can be obtained without a lathe by drilling a small hole with an electric drill. It is convenient to drill the rods into the end.

Scratch and listen

This method seems exotic, but after practicing on known samples, you will learn to reliably identify lead brass. This method requires a tool that will leave a scratch on the surface of the brass. It is convenient to work with a beak-shaped tool.

The scratching stick can be turned out of a hacksaw blade and wrapped with electrical tape to form a handle. The scratching technique is simple: press down on the tool and make an even scratch across the surface of the brass, listening to the sound when scratching. Lead brass will squeak and scratch the bottom of the step.

The cutter glides smoothly on lead-free brass.

How to distinguish copper from brass

Selling scrap metal is one of the most profitable ways to earn extra money. However, those who plan to hand over non-ferrous metal to collection points need to be able to distinguish one metal from another. This is important because each material has its own price. In our article we will talk about how to distinguish copper from brass.

These metals are quite easy to confuse with each other. First of all, external signs, such as color, are misleading. However, there are also a large number of differences.

• Copper is one of the most popular non-ferrous metals. The material is distinguished by a characteristic reddish tint. Due to its excellent technical characteristics, namely excellent malleability and softness, the metal is widely used in a wide variety of industries. How to distinguish copper? One of the main differences from other elements is its ability to become covered with a greenish coating (patina) in conditions of high humidity.
• Brass is obtained by alloying copper and zinc. The composition can also contain tin, lead or silicon. Depending on the percentage of copper in the alloy, the material can take on a golden yellow or reddish brown hue. One of the important differences between brass and other materials is its higher strength and lower ductility. In addition, when oxidized, it practically does not become covered with patina.

What other ways are there to determine copper?

• By sound. For a person without experience, this indicator, of course, may not mean anything. But this method is worth mentioning. So, when struck, copper sounds more muffled, brass sounds more loud. This method has proven itself well in determining the metal of large, massive structures, such as pipes.
• Type of chips. One of the easiest ways to distinguish copper from brass. Copper shavings have an ornate appearance, while brass has needle-like shapes.
• Weight. The density of copper is 9 g/cc, while brass is approximately 8.6 g/cc. The difference is small, but if you have accurate scales, it is not difficult to distinguish between materials.
• The use of a chemical solution, namely hydrochloric acid. A small amount is dropped onto the metal and the reaction is monitored. Nothing will happen to pure copper, while a white coating, zinc oxide, forms on the surface of brass.

How to distinguish copper from bronze

Bronze is obtained by combining copper and tin. The material has a pinkish-red tint and is characterized by lower ductility. We can determine what kind of material we have in front of us using a saline solution. For 1 liter of water you will need 200 g of table salt. Place the metal in a solution heated to 50°C and wait 15 minutes. Bronze is immune to the effects of salt, but copper will change its color to a darker one.

Another way to distinguish copper from bronze scrap metal is by drilling. As noted above, copper filings are more ornate, while bronze filings are thinner and chipped.

Source: https://izhsan.ru/bronza-i-latun/

How to distinguish bronze from brass

Brass and bronze have different chemical compositions and properties, but the appearance of these alloys is almost identical. It is very difficult for an ordinary person not involved in the industrial production of alloys to distinguish bronze from brass. Therefore, it is worth understanding what properties are characteristic of these alloys, what are their differences, and how to determine what alloy the item being purchased is made of.

Properties of bronze and brass

Bronze and brass are metal alloys that are made from copper. The difference between them lies in the main alloying material. This affects the physical and chemical properties of these alloys. Accordingly, the composition of bronze and brass directly affects the areas of application of these materials.

Bronze is a copper-based alloy with the addition of alloying materials such as tin, beryllium, silicon, aluminum and lead. Other components, such as zinc or nickel, may also be used. In this case, the alloy is called spiatr; it is much cheaper, but also inferior in physical characteristics.

Bronze appearance

There are several types of bronze alloys, which differ depending on the main alloying component. Today there are:

There is also a classification depending on the presence of tin in the composition. Based on this, tin bronze is distinguished - an alloy of copper and tin, and tin-free bronze. There is also an arsenic type, but today it is not used in production.

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, with possible content of other components: nickel, lead, tin, iron, manganese and others. This alloy has been known since ancient times. It was most likely developed by the Romans, who smelted copper with zinc ore. Zinc in its pure form began to be used only at the end of the 17th century in England.

Brass is similar to gold, which is why it was often used to counterfeit gold coins.

Due to its fine-grained structure, it is widely used in industry. Today, the production of steel-brass bimetal has become popular. The finished material has increased resistance to corrosion and physical wear. Moreover, such an alloy is quite ductile and can be easily cast and physically bent.

Appearance of brass

There is a variety called tombak, which is used in artistic casting, making accessories and insignia.

The main differences between the alloys

Despite their similar appearance due to the use of copper as a base, bronze and brass have certain differences due to the addition of tin and zinc. Thanks to this, the scope of application of both materials is quite wide and varied.

Bronze is used quite often by sculptors. It is excellent for the production of monuments, sculptures, busts, fences and other artistic products. It can stand for hundreds of years without changing its shape or structure. Brass is used quite rarely for such purposes, which is due to the high ductility of this alloy, which negatively affects the durability and wear resistance of sculptures.

Brass and bronze

Due to its properties, one of which is resistance to salty sea water, bronze was previously widely used in maritime affairs. In order for brass to achieve the same properties, it is necessary to add alloying components such as aluminum, tin or lead.

Despite the external similarity, there are small differences between bronze and brass that can be seen with the naked eye. The main thing that should be highlighted is the difference between bronze and brass in color. Bronze has a dark brown tint, while brass is lighter, reminiscent of gold due to its yellowish tint.

The main differences between these two alloys should be highlighted:

1. Bronze is produced by fusing copper and tin, with the possible addition of various impurities. Brass is obtained by producing an alloy of copper and zinc, but just like bronze, it can contain additional components.
2. Bronze has a coarse-grained structure, brass, in turn, is fine-grained and quite smooth. You can see the structure by examining metal products at a fracture.
3. Bronze has a dark brown tint, brass has a yellowish tint.
4. Bronze is resistant to aggressive external environments, while brass can be destroyed even when exposed to sea water. This is the diversity of applications of alloys.
5. Products made from bronze are much stronger and heavier than brass, and are also characterized by increased wear resistance.
6. Due to its properties, bronze is used much more often in industry, but brass is used as part of the steel-brass bimetal, the properties of which exceed those of bronze.

Despite many differences, it is quite difficult to determine in everyday life what alloy a product is made of, but using several methods you can cope with this task.

How to distinguish brass from bronze at home

Very often, when buying old furniture, figurines and other items, a dilemma arises about what material they are made of. At first glance, they are no different, but with a more detailed examination and the use of several determination methods, you can accurately determine the type of alloy.

Today, there are several ways to distinguish brass and bronze at home:

1. Determination by eye. To do this, you need to have products made from two alloys so that you can compare them. Taking them in your hands, you can clearly determine that bronze is much heavier than brass. With good lighting and a clean surface, you can see the color of the surface in detail. Bronze is much darker and brass is yellower.
2. If you have several identical items of low value, you may damage one of them. It is more difficult to do this with bronze, since it is much stronger. Having broken an object, you should look at the break. Brass has a fine-grained and smooth structure.
3. The most reliable way to differentiate is exposure to reagents. But for this you need to have certain equipment, experience with reagents and nitric acid.

First you need to make some metal shavings, then place them in separate test tubes and fill them with a 50% solution. After most of the dissolution, the test tubes need to be heated. The liquid with brass will remain transparent, but a white tin precipitate will appear in the liquid with bronze.

In the absence of reagents, you can use a solution of sea salt by placing shavings in it. Bronze shavings will not change in any way, but brass shavings will change their appearance.

You can also just look at the object. If the old object has not succumbed to change and destruction after many years, then it is most likely bronze, since it is much more resistant to external influences and less susceptible to wear.

Source: https://moy-instrument.ru/masteru/kak-razlichit-bronzu-ot-latuni.html

The difference between bronze and brass: characteristics of the alloys, their comparison and differences

Bronze and brass are very similar in appearance. However, they differ significantly in their chemical composition and characteristics. The metallurgical industry clearly distinguishes one alloy from another. But in everyday life it can be very difficult for a buyer to figure this out, especially when purchasing a rather expensive bronze item. Therefore, it is extremely important to know how to distinguish bronze from brass.

Characteristics of metals

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

Depending on what metal is present in the alloy, bronze is distinguished:

• tin;
• beryllium;
• aluminum;
• silicon

Thanks to this variety, the material is divided into two large groups - tin and tin-free. Previously, arsenic bronze also existed, but it was not widely used.

Brass is also an alloy, but here the main element is zinc combined with copper , to which nickel, tin, lead, manganese, iron or other elements may sometimes be added. Already in Ancient Rome, methods for producing this alloy were known.

The Romans learned to smelt copper with zinc ore. It was only in 1781 that zinc in its pure form began to be used in England to produce brass.

In the nineteenth century, due to its special color, this metal began to be used as counterfeit gold, and this quickly spread to many countries.

Currently, such an alloy is used to produce steel-brass bimetal. It is resistant to corrosion and abrasion, and is also quite flexible. In addition to the fact that brass is used in industry, its variety, called tombak, is quite often used for the manufacture of fittings, artistic products and insignia.

Comparison of two metals

As mentioned above, copper is used to make bronze and brass. However, its combination with tin or zinc produces alloys that have different properties and are used in different fields.

For example, bronze is considered a material that sculptors like to use to create busts, fences, monuments and other solutions that require durability and beauty. Brass is practically not used for such purposes; it is only occasionally used to create some kind of artistic products. The reason is the plasticity of the metal; it wears out quite quickly, while bronze monuments can stand for centuries.

An interesting fact is that bronze products have been used in maritime affairs since ancient times. They remarkably withstand the negative effects of salt water , while pure brass is completely incapable of this. To achieve certain properties, alloying with aluminum, lead or tin is required.

The appearance of these alloys is also slightly different. Bronze has a coarse-grained dark brown structure. Brass is much lighter; due to its characteristic yellowness, it resembles gold, and its structure is fine-grained.

In addition, both alloys are divided into different groups:

• brass can be two-component or multi-component;
• bronze - tin and tinless.

The difference between the two metals

The difference between these two alloys is as follows:

• Bronze is obtained by alloying copper with tin. In addition, this alloy contains impurities of metals such as lead, aluminum, beryllium, silicon, etc. Brass is obtained by fusing copper with zinc. Iron, nickel, manganese, lead, etc. are also added to this alloy.
• Bronze is a dark brown metal with a coarse grain structure, while brass is yellow in color and is quite smooth and fine grained.
• When interacting with sea water, bronze products do not deteriorate at all, but brass products may suffer. This property of alloys is taken into account in the construction of ships and the manufacture of various fishing accessories.
• Bronze is divided into tin and tin-free groups, and its opponent is divided into two-component and multi-component.
• Bronze products are much stronger than brass and they are much more resistant to wear.
• Bronze is often used to make fences, monuments and a variety of metal interior decorations. Brass is also used to make various jewelry and decorative elements, but quite rarely. But it is used to create steel-brass - a fairly practical bimetal that is not prone to rust.

Thus, it is not so easy to distinguish bronze from brass. It’s not easy to do this at home, but it’s possible. You just need to carefully examine both alloys , which are located in the same place. If you pick them up, bronze will be much heavier than brass, and its color will be much darker.

Source: https://stanok.guru/cvetnye-metally-i-splavy/bronza/v-chem-otlichie-bronzy-i-latuni-osobennosti-splavov.html

Difference between bronze and brass. How to distinguish bronze from brass: composition, characteristics, features - Legal advice

It is no coincidence that the question of how to distinguish bronze from brass interests many, because products made from these copper alloys are very similar in appearance. Meanwhile, having decided to use products made from such materials for a specific purpose, one should distinguish between these two metals, since they have serious differences in many respects.

These busts are very similar, but they are made from different copper alloys

What are bronze and brass

Bronze and brass are alloys based on copper. Moreover, individual brands of such alloys are very similar in color, but their characteristics may have significant differences. In order to have a good understanding of the question of in which cases to use brass and in which to use bronze, it is necessary to become more familiar with their properties and chemical composition.

Chemical composition of simple brasses

Chemical composition of tin bronzes (click to enlarge)

A material such as bronze has been used by humanity for several millennia, and its popularity is not decreasing. Initially, man learned to produce bronze alloys, the basis of the chemical composition of which is copper and tin.

Later, with the development of the metallurgical industry, bronzes began to be produced, in which tin was replaced by other chemical elements - aluminum, lead, iron, silicon, beryllium, phosphorus, etc. Bronzes of the first type began to be called tin (they are often called bell bronzes, because they used to made bells), and the second - tinless.

A change in the chemical composition of bronze leads to a change not only in its characteristics, but also in color.

Brass is also a copper alloy, but its main alloying element is zinc. The chemical composition of various brands of brass may contain elements such as nickel, lead, iron, tin, manganese, etc.

, but their content is insignificant and is necessary only to give the finished alloy certain characteristics. It is known that the ancient Romans knew how to produce brass, who obtained it by mixing molten copper and zinc ore.

A more efficient production technology, which involves mixing molten copper and pure zinc, was developed in England, and this happened in 1781.

Physical properties of simple brasses (click to enlarge)

Physical properties of tin bronzes (click to enlarge)

For a long time, brass, which has a beautiful light golden color, was used to make decorative items, including those that were passed off as gold.

However, manufacturers could not help but pay attention to other, no less significant characteristics of this alloy, which include high corrosion and abrasion resistance, ductility, combined with fairly high hardness and strength.

That is why brass, which also has good casting properties, began to be actively used not only for decorative purposes, but also for the manufacture of products successfully used in various industries.

Comparative characteristics

The basis of bronze and brass, as mentioned above, is the same metal - copper. The difference between these alloys lies in their chemical composition and, accordingly, in the characteristics that they possess. Naturally, the differences between these copper alloys also determine their areas of application.

Due to the fact that bronze is a stronger and more durable material when compared with brass, bells, sculptural compositions, elements of fencing, landscape and interior structures have been made from this material since ancient times.

It is also important that many grades of this alloy are characterized by good fluidity in the molten state. This makes it possible to cast products of even very complex configurations from them.

By adding various chemical elements to the chemical composition of bronze, you can change its color in a fairly wide range, which is also of great importance in the production of decorative products.

This watch ring, judging by the color, is more likely yellow brass (bronze would be redder). Scratches easily remain on the surface - also a sign of brass

Brass differs from bronze in its higher ductility and, accordingly, lower strength and wear resistance, which limits the use of this alloy in many areas.

In addition, brass is less resistant to aggressive environments, in particular salty sea water, which does not allow the use of brass products in shipbuilding, where bronze is used very actively and successfully.

There is also a noticeable difference in the color of these alloys and in their internal structure.

Any experienced specialist can tell you how to distinguish brass from bronze: to do this, just look at the fracture of products made from these alloys.

Brass has a lighter color when fractured and a distinct fine-grained structure, while bronze is easily identified by its dark brown fracture color and coarse-grained internal structure.

Broken bronze coupling

Summarizing all of the above, we can highlight the following differences between brass and bronze.

1. The main alloying element in bronze is tin, and in brass it is zinc. Moreover, both alloys are created on the basis of one metal – copper.
2. Bronze (even with a classic chemical composition) perfectly resists the effects of aggressive environments, in particular salty sea water. In order to improve the corrosion resistance of brass, additional alloying elements must be introduced into such an alloy.
3. The strength and anti-friction characteristics of bronze are also better than those of brass. Such qualities significantly expand the scope of application of bronze alloys, from which not only strong and durable decorative elements are made, but also critical parts for use in various industries. Brass is more often used for the production of bimetallic elements (“steel - brass”), which demonstrate high resistance to the formation and development of corrosion processes.
4. Bronze products have a dark brown color and coarse grain when broken, while brass products have a yellow-golden color and a fine-grained structure. This difference in color and internal structure makes it easy to determine what alloy the product is made from.
5. Bronze, like brass, although they are based on a metal such as copper, are divided into completely different categories. Thus, bronze can be tin or tin-free, while brass can be two- or multi-component.

Comparison of properties of brass and bronze

Bronze and brass, which have a lower melting point than copper, can be used to make various products at home. However, for this, naturally, it is necessary to stock up on the appropriate equipment and thoroughly study the technology and rules for performing such a technological operation as casting.

And finally, a couple of videos about heat treatment of bronze at home.

Source: https://zaksovet.ru/raznica-mezhdu-bronzoj-i-latunju-kak-otlichit-bronzu-ot-latuni-sostav-harakteristiki-osobennosti.html

How to determine brass or bronze

In the metallurgical industry, there are clear criteria for distinguishing one alloy from another. It’s a completely different story in everyday life, when an ordinary person decides to use some kind of metal or alloy without really understanding what it’s used for and how it’s different.

Definition

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.

The name of the alloy itself comes from the Italian bronzo, and the history of the origin of this term goes back to the Persian berenj, which means copper. 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.

Brass is also an alloy, but the main, so-called alloying element here is zinc in connection with copper, to which lead, nickel, manganese, tin, iron or other elements are sometimes added. 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 nineteenth 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.

Comparison

As we found out, the main metal for producing bronze and brass is copper. However, combining it with tin (as in bronze) or zinc (as in brass) makes it possible to obtain alloys with different properties and specific applications.

For example, bronze is one of the favorite materials of sculptors, who use it for busts, monuments, fences and other solutions that require beauty and durability. Brass can hardly be used for such purposes, although it is sometimes used to create artistic products.

The reason for this is the plasticity of brass; it is more susceptible to wear, while bronze monuments can live for centuries.

Source: https://crast.ru/instrumenty/kak-opredelit-latun-ili-bronza

How to distinguish brass and bronze at home?

Among the oldest alloys known to people, brass and bronze rank first: the differences between them are significant, but their use is in many ways similar. It is worth mentioning that ancient copper-containing alloys are not similar in color and composition to modern ones.

Made of bronze from the middle of the 4th century BC. e. they forged weapons and armor, made dishes, household utensils, created jewelry, minted coins and sculpted sculptures. In Ancient Rome, brass coins (sestertii and dupondii) were in circulation; parts of armor, elements for decorating armor, weapons, and dishes were made from orichalcum (as the Romans called this alloy). That is why it is not always easy to understand what alloy an antique item is made of, and how to distinguish bronze from brass.

Color differences between metals

Composition and features of alloys

When talking about antique bronze products, they usually mean an alloy based on copper and tin, less often we talk about spiater (copper + zinc and nickel), which was used as an inexpensive analogue of bronze in the late 19th - early 20th centuries. In modern industrial alloys, the alloying metal can be another metal, thus bronze is divided into tin and tin-free (aluminum, beryllium, silicon-zinc, lead, etc.).

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc, sometimes with the addition of tin, nickel, manganese, lead, and iron. Since the end of the 7th century, for the manufacture of artistic products, jewelry, accessories and insignia, a type of brass called “tompak” has been used: it contains 88-97% copper and 10-30% zinc.

Brass handle

How to distinguish them at home?

The easiest way to identify bronze is by its appearance: its surface has a reddish or dark brown tint and a coarse-grained structure; brass is yellowish and fine-grained in structure. However, bronze with a high tin content takes on a yellowish or almost white color, so it can easily be confused with brass, copel (copper + nickel + manganese) and cupronickel (copper + nickel).

Bronze is heavier than brass, but an inexperienced person can only compare the weights if he has two objects of a certain size, one of which is known to be bronze and the other brass.

You can test the metal for bending: when strongly bent, brass bends or retains its shape, but a bronze product breaks.

• Scrape the surface with a hacksaw and the bronze will yield fine, loose shavings. This method does not always work in relation to technical alloys, since there are “loose” grades of industrial brass and “sticky” grades of bronze.
• Heat the metal to 600 °C (the same temperature as a gasoline burner), and a dark film of zinc oxide will appear on the brass. It will not be on the surface of the bronze.
• When heated, brass begins to bend, but the characteristics of bronze do not change. If it is possible to melt a piece of the sample, then when overheated, the brass burns with a white flame, scattering white flakes - this burns out the zinc.

Bronze figurine

The most reliable answer to the question of how to distinguish brass from bronze is provided by exposure to reagents. Place a few shavings of each alloy in different beakers and pour in dilute nitric acid (1 part acid to 1 part water) and wait until most of them have dissolved. Heat the beaker, but do not bring it to a boil, and keep it on low heat for half an hour. The liquid in the container with brass shavings will remain transparent, and in the test tube with bronze shavings a white tin precipitate will appear.

However, even if you are not able to immediately check the alloy from which the item is made, its purpose can tell you whether it is bronze or brass.

Thus, a large interior sculpture will most likely turn out to be bronze or spiatre; Brass is susceptible to wear and tear, so it is used to make small objects or fragments. If you have an antique marine compass in your hands, don’t worry about how to determine what it is made of.

This is probably also bronze - it is not afraid of salt water, does not rust or oxidize. To give brass such properties, tin, aluminum or lead must be added to the alloy.

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Source: https://DedPodaril.com/lityo/latun-i-bronza-otlichiya.html

Differences between bronze and brass

Brass and bronze have different chemical compositions and properties, but the appearance of these alloys is almost identical. It is very difficult for an ordinary person not involved in the industrial production of alloys to distinguish bronze from brass. Therefore, it is worth understanding what properties are characteristic of these alloys, what are their differences, and how to determine what alloy the item being purchased is made of.

Differences between bronze and brass

How to distinguish bronze from brass

There are a number of ways that will tell you how to distinguish bronze from brass. In the presented material I would like to consider the simplest and most accessible solutions for implementing this task. Let's find out how to distinguish bronze from brass at home.

What is bronze?

Before we figure out how to distinguish bronze from brass, let's find out what each alloy is. Let's start with bronze. So, bronze is an alloy of tin and copper, with admixtures of silicon, aluminum, beryllium and lead. It is the quality of the tin used that largely determines the nature of the future alloy.

There is a special type of bronze, in the manufacture of which tin is replaced with nickel or zinc. This alloy is known as spiatr. Essentially, the material is a cheap version of bronze, which is not of the best quality.

According to the above manufacturing principles, bronze is divided into tin and tin-free. At the beginning of the last century, metallurgists produced arsenic bronze. However, due to its high toxicity, the material was never widely used.

What is brass?

Brass is practically the same alloy as bronze. But instead of the alloying composition in the form of tin, zinc is used here in combination with copper. Sometimes lead, iron, nickel, manganese, and other elements are added to the alloy.

The ancient Romans knew how to produce brass. They were the first to learn how to combine molten copper with zinc ore. Pure zinc began to be used for the production of brass only at the end of the 18th century in Britain. The British often used the alloy to create fake gold, because brass, like a noble metal, has an attractive sunny shine.

Today the material is widely used to create the so-called bimetal - an alloy where steel is combined with brass. This solution contributes to the production of metal that is resistant to corrosion and abrasion. At the same time, bimetal products have good ductility.

Defining Differences Between Bronze and Brass

How to distinguish bronze from brass? The difference between the presented alloys is as follows:

1. Brass is produced by combining zinc with copper. In turn, bronze is produced by alloying copper with tin.
2. Bronze can be in contact with sea and salt water for a long time without destroying the structure of the material. Brass requires additional processing in the form of alloying.
3. Bronze has increased resistance to mechanical wear and is a durable material. For this reason, the alloy is widely used to create all kinds of sculptures and monuments. Brass is not suitable for these purposes, although it is used as elements of artistic products.
4. How to distinguish copper from brass and bronze? Copper has a reddish tint. At the same time, bronze has a dark brown color and a coarse-grained structure. Brass has a yellow tint and is a fine-grained material.

Differences between bronze and brass according to weight

How to distinguish bronze from brass based on the weight of the materials? It is worth noting that bronze is a fairly heavy alloy. In equal volumes of workpieces, bronze will be clearly heavier than brass. Therefore, you can distinguish products from individual alloys by weighing them on your palms.

How to distinguish alloys by heating?

You need to try to distinguish between materials using the thermal effect method. However, the results in this case will be more reliable. What do we have to do? It is necessary to heat both alloys using a gas burner to a temperature of more than 600°C. With this exposure, an ashen-colored coating forms on the surface of the brass product, which is zinc oxide. At the same time, the bronze will remain in its original form.

After heating, the brass will become more ductile. Bronze does not change its physical properties when exposed to high temperatures. If you try to bend a brass workpiece, the structure of the latter will not be damaged. As for bronze, it will definitely break at the bend.

How to distinguish brass from bronze with a magnet?

As noted above, bronze contains tin and lead. These materials can be attracted by a magnet. The only thing required to carry out the experiment is to find a fairly strong magnet. When using it, the bronze will slightly stick to the surface. The magnet will not have any effect on brass.

Finally

As you can see, there are a number of ways that allow you to distinguish bronze from brass at home. In most cases, there are pronounced visual differences between products made from these alloys. Therefore, to cope with the task, sometimes it is enough just to carefully consider both materials.

Source: https://respect-kovka.com/kak-otlichit-bronzu-ot-latuni/

Brass and bronze: differences in appearance and properties, how to determine

Brass and bronze are metal alloys containing up to 80% copper. This gives the alloys a golden hue, so they have a similar appearance. However, brass, unlike bronze, is not magnetic because they have different chemical compositions. In industrial metallurgy, metals are clearly distinguished, but at home it can be difficult to distinguish between them.

Copper as a component of brass and bronze

Copper is a non-ferrous metal, has a golden color with a red tint. The structure is soft and easy to process. Possessing high electrical and thermal conductivity, it is used for the manufacture of:

• cables;
• parts for electrical appliances;
• radiators.

Copper

To increase the level of strength of copper and improve the characteristic properties, as well as reduce the cost of the material, during production a certain amount of impurities of other metals, most often brass or zinc, is added to it.

When the ambient humidity is high, copper becomes covered with a greenish coating - patina. The metal is not hardened, since it tends to become hard even during cold forging.

Brass has a characteristic golden hue and, unlike copper, is less susceptible to oxidation. It has a solid structure, it is more durable, but not as flexible in work. Brass contains a large amount of copper, and depending on what the alloy is intended for, a little lead, tin, manganese, and silicon are added to it.

How to distinguish brass from bronze at home?

It is no coincidence that many people ask the question: how to distinguish brass from bronze products, since the metals have a similar appearance? However, these two alloys differ significantly from each other in various parameters.

Appearance

Bronze, if it does not contain other metals, has a dark brown tint, and at the fracture there is a large granular structure. Brass without added impurities has a bright yellow color and a fine-grained internal structure at the fracture.

Magnet

Due to the fact that lead and tin are present in the bronze alloy, this metal can be slightly magnetic, but a magnet has no effect on brass.

Chemical technique

Chemical reagents can help determine the type of alloy. To use this technique, you need to place bronze and brass shavings in different containers and add a little nitric acid in a 1:1 ratio with water. When the mass dissolves, the liquid must be brought to a boil and kept for 30 minutes over low heat. The brass solution will remain transparent, but bronze, on the contrary, will give a tin-colored light precipitate.

Welding machine

When heated by a welding machine, the external characteristics of bronze remain unchanged, but brass tends to bend. When it overheats, it begins to burn with a white flame, scattering light flakes, thus burning out the zinc contained in it.

Bronze and brass: characteristics and differences of alloys

Brass and bronze are alloys whose main component is copper. It is this that gives the materials a specific yellowish tint. For this reason, the alloys are very similar in appearance, but are fundamentally different in their composition and technical characteristics. We will talk about how to determine whether it is brass or bronze in our article.

So, it’s worth starting with a description of each material. Bronze may contain copper, tin, aluminum, silicon and other elements. Depending on which metal is more abundant in the alloy, it is customary to distinguish tin, aluminum, beryllium and silicon.

Bronze is characterized by durability, resistance to moisture and high strength, due to which it is actively used in industry, manufacturing and construction. One of the most famous areas of application is the construction of monuments and sculptures.

Brass is an alloy whose main components are copper and zinc. It may also contain nickel, lead or manganese. Unlike bronze, brass has lower resistance to reagents, moisture and salt and can become unusable within a short time. For this reason, alloying components are added to the alloy to make it resistant to corrosion.

Brass or bronze: several ways to determine the alloy

There are several ways to understand which alloy is in front of you.

• It is necessary to heat the alloys to a temperature of 600 degrees in the open air. A thin, ashen-colored film of zinc oxide forms on the surface of the brass. At that time, the bronze will not lose its original appearance.
• As it heats up, brass becomes more flexible and ductile. The opponent will not change his properties.
• You can also determine whether it is brass or bronze using mechanical action. It is enough to bend a piece of metal at a right angle. In the first case, the material will maintain its integrity, in the second, it will break.
• Treat bronze and brass filings with nitric acid. All that is required is to pour 0.05 g of material into 10 ml of the substance and leave for a while. After dissolving the alloys, bring the contents to a boil and let stand for half an hour. In a vessel with brass the solution will become transparent, in a beaker with bronze a white precipitate will appear.
• By exposing materials to a magnet, you can find that a bronze alloy is slightly magnetic, while a brass alloy is not.

What is more expensive: bronze or brass

As practice shows, the price of alloys is approximately at the same level - within 200 rubles / kg. The cost primarily depends on the copper content in the composition. In addition, it is worth considering that bronze is heavier than brass, so with an equal volume of scrap metal, bronze will be more profitable. However, it is important to remember the pricing policy of collection points and the general situation on the metals market.

Which is better, bronze or brass? There is no definite answer to this question, since each of the alloys has its own characteristics and technical characteristics. And the scope of their application is different. Find out more about which scrap metal is more profitable to hand over from the specialists of our company.

Source: http://www.CvetMetLom.ru/info-metal/bronza-ili-latun-razlichiya-i-osobennosti-splavov

How to distinguish bronze from brass at home?

There are a number of ways that will tell you how to distinguish bronze from brass. In the presented material I would like to consider the simplest and most accessible solutions for implementing this task. Let's find out how to distinguish bronze from brass at home.

How to distinguish bronze from brass: composition, characteristics, features

It is no coincidence that the question of how to distinguish bronze from brass interests many, because products made from these copper alloys are very similar in appearance. Meanwhile, having decided to use products made from such materials for a specific purpose, one should distinguish between these two metals, since they have serious differences in many respects.

These busts are very similar, but they are made from different copper alloys