The principles of copper alloy materials mainly include alloying principles and surface treatment principles.
Alloying principles
Copper alloys are made by adding one or more other elements (such as zinc, aluminum, silicon, lead, tin, manganese, etc.) to pure copper to change the physical and chemical properties of copper. Alloying can significantly improve the mechanical properties, corrosion resistance, wear resistance, etc. of copper. For example:
Brass: Mainly composed of copper and zinc, brass can be divided into ordinary brass and special brass according to the zinc content. Ordinary brass is suitable for making various plates, wires and pipes, while special brass such as "casing brass" with a zinc content of 30% is widely used in military and civilian fields.
Aluminum brass: Adding aluminum to ordinary brass can form a dense oxide film on the surface, which has extremely high corrosion resistance.
Silicon brass: Adding silicon significantly improves corrosion resistance and stress corrosion cracking ability.
Lead brass: It has good cutting performance and wear resistance.
Tin brass: Shows good corrosion resistance in seawater.
Manganese brass: Improves strength and corrosion resistance in seawater without reducing plasticity.
Surface treatment principle
The surface treatment of copper alloys is mainly to improve their corrosion resistance and aesthetics by forming a protective layer on the surface of the alloy. For example, by electroplating, spraying and other methods, a layer of corrosion-resistant metal or non-metallic material is covered on the surface of the copper alloy, which can effectively extend its service life and aesthetics.
