US3146095A

US3146095A - Copper base alloys containing iron, aluminum, and zinc

Info

Publication number: US3146095A
Application number: US278404A
Authority: US
Inventors: Carl J Hechinger
Original assignee: Olin Corp
Current assignee: Olin Corp
Priority date: 1963-05-06
Filing date: 1963-05-06
Publication date: 1964-08-25
Anticipated expiration: 1981-08-25

Description

United States Patent 3,146,095 COPHER BASE ALLOY CQNTAINING IRON,

ALEJMENUM, AND ZINC Carl J. Hechinger, St. Louis, Mo., assignor to (Blin Mathieson Chemical Corporation, a corporation of Virginia No Drawing. Filed May 6, 1963, Ser. No. 278,404

2 Claims. (Cl. 75--153) The present invention relates to improved copper base alloys containing iron, aluminum, and zinc.

It is an object of the present invention to provide new and improved copper base alloys.

It is a further object of the present invention to provide copper base alloys as above which are characterized by improved properties, especially greater strength and excellent anneal to temper properties.

It is a still further object of the present invention to provide improved copper base alloys as above which are inexpensive and easily obtainable.

Further objects and advantages will appear hereinafter.

In accordance with the present invention it has now been found that the foregoing objects may be readily accomplished and a new and improved copper base alloy obtained which consists essentially of from 0.75 to 1.25 percent by weight of iron, 1.25 to 2.00 percent by weight aluminum, 65 to 67 percent by weight copper and the remainder zinc.

The present invention relates to new and improved cop per base alloys containing the above ingredients and characterized by low cost and surprisingly good properties, for example, excellent strength and excellent anneal to temper properties.

In accordance with the findings of the present invention the ranges of ingredients must critically be within the aforesaid amounts, for example, if 67 percent copper is exceeded, the alloy has non-reproducible properties, and if the copper is in an amount less than 65 percent the alloy has good hot rolling characteristics but the ductility markedly affected. Such an alloy cannot be cold rolled more than 35 percent; whereas, the alloy of the present invention can be reduced 70 percent with ease by cold rolling from soft temper.

The iron and aluminum contents are similarly critical in the above ranges, for example, when iron is lower than 0.75 percent the elongation is decreased to less than 41 percent minimum at 0.020 mm. grain which is obtained by this alloy. Iron in percentages less than 0.75 percent will also enhance the formation of beta phase since the proper aluminum to iron ratio needed to form soluble phase of this combination of elements is not present. When iron exceeds 1.25 percent, free iron is noted in the microstructure which detracts from ductility, malleability and strength of the alloy.

When the alloy has an aluminum content less than 1.25 percent the strength of the alloy is insufficient. The formation of the iron and aluminum phase is prevented and free iron in the microstructure can be observed which in itself detracts from the formability and strength of the alloy. Exceeding the maximum of 2 percent aluminum can result in the formation of beta phase which has deleterious effect on the cold rollability and formability of the alloy.

Varying amounts of impurities may be tolerated in the alloy of the present invention, for example, representative tolerances include: lead, up to 0.02 percent; bismuth, up to 0.001 percent; arsenic, up to 0.01 percent; antimony, up to 0.001 percent; nickel, up to 0.03 percent; phosphorus, up to 0.001 percent; manganese, up to 0.03 percent; silver, up to 0.05 percent; silicon, up to 0.03 percent;' chromium, up to 0.001 percent; beryllium,

up to 0.005 percent; cadmium, up to 0.005 percent; and tin, up to 0.10 percent.

The present invention and improvements thereof will be more readily apparent from a consideration of the following illustrative examples.

EXAMPLE 1 An alloy was prepared having the following proximate composition:

Percent Copper 66.5 Iron 1.0 Aluminum 1.4 Zinc Remainder This alloy has greater ultimate and yield strength than the strongest alpha brasses when rolled to comparable tempers, as shown in Table 1 below, wherein the cartridge brass has a composition of about 70 percent copper and 30 percent Zinc.

Table 1 Cartridge Brass Present Alloy Percent Reduction Tensile, Yield, Tensile, Yield,

psi. p.s.i. p.s.i. p.s.1.

Annealed (0.025 mm.) 51, 000 18,000 65,000 24, 000 10 l- 58, 000 38, 000 68, 000 44, 000 20 06, 000 52, 000 74, 000 00, C00 30 75, 000 60, 000 84, 000 71, 000 40 4, 000 67, 500 95, 000 78, 000 50 91, 000 74, 000 101,000 83, 000 60 97, 000 78, 000 105, 000 87, 000

EXAMPLE 2 The alloy of Example 1 exhibits better anneal-to-temper properties than cartridge brass after 70 percent reduction, as shown in Table 2 below, wherein the cartridge brass has a composition of about 70 percent copper and 30 percent zinc.

Table 2 Tensile Tensile Strength Strength Annealing Temperature (p.s.i.) (p.s.1.)

Cartridge Present Brass Alloy This lnvention may be embodied in other forms or carried out in other ways without departing from the spirit or essential characteristics thereof. The present embodiment is therefore to be considered as in all respects illustrative and not restrictive, the scope of the invention being indicated by the appended claims, and all changes which come within the meaning and range of equivalency are intended to be embraced therein.

What is claimed is:

1. An alloy consisting essentially of from 0.75 to 1.25 percent by weight of iron, 1.25 to 2 percent aluminum, 29.75 to 33 percent zinc and the balance copper.

2. An alloy consisting essentially of 1.0 percent iron, 1.4 percent aluminum, 31.1 percent zinc and the balance copper.

References Cited in the file of this patent FOREIGN PATENTS