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The OnlineMetals Guide to Bronze
The term Bronze is applied to alloys of metal that are copper-based where tin is the main additive. This
is not a hard and fast rule, however - some bronzes have phosphorus, manganese, aluminum or silicon as the
main alloying ingredient.
The primary traits of Bronze alloys are that of toughness, strength, corrosion resistance, electrical conductivity,
and thermal conductivity. Depending on the alloy, there is a bronze for just about every application.
OnlineMetals.com currently stocks three types of bronze in various shapes and sizes:
Bearing Bronze
As the name implies, this is the most commonly used bronze in bushing and bearing applications. It is comparably
easy to machine, and provides long life in applications where wear is a consideration.
| Bearing Bronze (C932), a/k/a SAE 660 |
| Minimum Properties |
Ultimate Tensile Strength, psi |
35,000 |
| Yield Strength, psi |
20,000 |
| Elongation in 2" |
10% |
| Brinell Hardness |
65 |
| Chemistry |
Copper (Cu) |
81.0 - 85.0% |
| Tin (Sn) |
6.3 - 7.5% |
| Lead |
6.0 - 8.0% |
| Zinc |
2.0 - 4.0% |
Aluminum Bronze
Aluminum bronzes are most valued for their higher strength and corrosion resistance as compared to other
bronze alloys. These alloys are tarnish-resistant and show low rates of corrosion in atmospheric conditions,
low oxidation rates at high temperatures, and low reactivity with sulfurous compounds and other exhaust
products of combustion. They are also resistant to corrosion in sea water. Finally, they prevent colonization by
marine organisms including algae, barnacles, and mussels.
Aluminum bronzes are most commonly used in applications where their resistance to corrosion makes
them preferable to other engineering materials.
| Aluminum Bronze, C954 |
| Minimum Properties |
Ultimate Tensile Strength, psi |
85,000 |
| Yield Strength, psi |
32,000 |
| Elongation in 2" |
12% |
| Brinell Hardness |
170 |
| Chemistry |
Copper (Cu) |
83.0% min |
| Iron (Fe) |
3.0 - 5.0% |
| Aluminum (Al) |
10.0 - 11.5% |
Silicon Bronze
Silicon Bronze is a high-strength, highly corrosion resistant material with nonmagnetic properties. It is generally as
strong as steel. Because of its composition, it is more difficult to machine. However, it is excellent for use in
general marine applications, as well as pumps and boilers.
| Silicon Bronze, C655 |
| Minimum Properties |
Ultimate Tensile Strength, psi |
85,000 |
| Yield Strength, psi |
55,000 |
| Elongation in 2" |
20% |
| Rockwell Hardness |
B90 |
| Chemistry |
Copper (Cu) |
97.0% min |
| Iron (Fe) |
0.8% max |
| Manganese (Mn) |
1.5% max |
| Nickel (Ni) |
0.6% max |
| Lead (Pb) |
0.5% max |
| Silicon (Si) |
2.8 - 3.8% |
| Zinc (Zn) |
1.5% max |
At OnlineMetals, we all failed shop class. Multiple times. As a matter of fact, our employment applications
specifically ask to see people's grades for their high school shop classes. If they're too high, they go
into the rejected pile. We're also not engineers, and cannot make any specific recommendations about the suitability
of a given alloy, temper, or shape for your project or application.
All technical data is for comparison purposes only and is NOT FOR DESIGN. It has been compiled
from sources we believe to be accurate but cannot guarantee. This ends the part of the website
that our pointy-headed lawyers made us put in.
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