Brass

Brass is an alloy of copper and zinc. Changing the proportions of these metals alters its color, strength, corrosion resistance, and workability.

Copper: Copper is a reddish, ductile metal with high electrical and thermal conductivity. Copper is brass’s principal metal and gives the alloy much of its characteristic color and conductivity.
Cartridge brass: A ductile copper–zinc alloy used for deep-drawn cases and other formed components. Its high copper content supports the repeated deformation needed to draw cartridge cases.
Cementation process: An ancient method of making brass by heating copper with zinc-bearing materials in a closed vessel. This process explains how brass could be produced before metallic zinc was isolated.
Bronze: A family of copper alloys, commonly made with tin rather than zinc as the principal alloying element. Bronze is often confused with brass, but its usual alloying metal and material behavior differ.
Zinc: Zinc is a bluish-white metal used to protect iron and to make alloys such as brass. Adding zinc to copper forms brass and changes its color, strength, and working behavior.
Free-cutting brass: A machinable brass grade formulated to produce short chips during cutting. Its composition makes it useful for turned fittings and precision components.
Ancient Roman brass: Brass produced and used in the Roman world, often through cementation of copper with zinc ore. Roman coinage and objects provide well-studied evidence of early brass production.
Gunmetal: A cast copper alloy traditionally containing tin and zinc, used for fittings and machinery. Its mixed alloying additions distinguish it from ordinary copper–zinc brass.
Copper–zinc phase diagram: A map showing the phases present in copper–zinc alloys at different compositions and temperatures. It explains why zinc content and heat treatment produce distinct brass structures.
Naval brass: A copper–zinc alloy containing tin, developed for improved resistance to seawater corrosion. It shows how a small alloying addition can adapt brass for marine service.

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