How to distinguish bronze from other metals. Difference between bronze and brass. Spectral analysis is the only way with guaranteed results

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.

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 what kind of basic materials were used, bronze can be:

• tin;
• tin-free.

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. It 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.

Most effective method production 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.

That is why today, as before, it is actively used in decorative items, 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 areas applications. 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. Besides, Various elements can be added to the material composition to change 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.

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 more low temperature melting. 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 technological operations and study casting technology.

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 did not become widespread.

Brass is also an alloy, but here The main element is zinc in combination 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 any art 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 Excellent resistance to the negative effects of salt water, while brass in its pure form 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 structure dark brown. Brass is much lighter, because of its characteristic yellowness it resembles gold, and its structure is fine-grained.

Among the most ancient alloys, known to people, in the first places are brass and bronze: 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're talking about 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 (this is the temperature obtained with 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 fill with diluted nitric acid(1 part acid to 1 part water) and wait until most of them dissolve. 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.

Ways to distinguish bronze and brass using a magnet, acid, heating.

Bronze and brass are common alloys used to create parts, as well as some interior items. Externally, metals are indeed very similar, but there are many ways to distinguish them. In this article we will tell you how to distinguish these metals at home.

How to distinguish bronze from brass at home by appearance?

Bronze is an alloy of copper and tin; small amounts of other additives may be present. Brass, in turn, is an alloy of copper and zinc. The ancient Romans began to use it, but then they introduced zinc ore into molten copper. The result was an excellent metal from which sculptures and statues were made. Externally, the metals are indeed very similar, but a specialist with the naked eye will be able to distinguish these two alloys. The most interesting thing is that in the 19th century, counterfeit coins were even made. After all, the color of the metal corresponds to gold.

In fact, the two metals are very similar, since the composition is predominantly copper. But impurities completely determine their properties. A mixture with tin is a favorite material of sculptors due to its durability and wear resistance. Zinc alloy is less durable and wears out quickly.

How does bronze differ from brass in composition?

Characteristic differences between these two metals should only be expected if they are fairly pure. But the fact is that now there are a huge number of varieties of both brass and bronze. Very often, tin is not added to bronze at all and a mixture of aluminum, beryllium and magnesium is introduced as an alloying element. Thanks to this, the color of the metal also changes greatly. If the tin content in the metal is high enough, reaching 40%, then its color can fluctuate up to white. That is, it resembles steel.

At the same time, it gives only a light golden tint. In general, the metal turns out almost silvery. Regarding brass, if it contains a large amount of zinc, then the color of the metal is the same as gold. Quite often this material is used to make a variety of costume jewelry and cheap jewelry. Such jewelry looks quite organic, nice, and at the same time has a low price.

How to distinguish bronze from brass using a magnet?

• When it comes to various alloys, it can be quite difficult to distinguish bronze from brass, because they can be almost identical. Many experts believe that bronze is heavier than brass. This is indeed due to the content of tin and lead, which are quite heavy.
• Brass is much lighter due to the presence of zinc. You can conduct a few simple experiments to find out which metal is in front of you. Bronze is almost always magnetic due to the presence of tin.
• That is, if you apply a strong enough magnet, you will see significant magnetization. The higher the tin content in the metal, the stronger the magnetization. Brass, in turn, does not exhibit magnetic properties, that is, when a magnet is placed, it does not stick at all.

Ways to distinguish bronze from brass by heating, filing

The type of metal can be determined by heating. However, this method is only suitable if you have your own workshop or garage. The thing is, you will need a cutting torch for this experiment. Heat a sample of the suspected material using gas burner up to 600 degrees.

If you try to bend it after this, the bronze will easily break. When heated, it becomes quite brittle and does not bend. Brass, in turn, bends very well and melts easily. This is due to the presence of zinc in the composition. This material is more plastic and pliable when heated than tin.

To determine the alloy, many people advise taking a hacksaw, filing the product a little, and paying attention to the quality of the chips that are formed. The tin metal is sawn into tiny flakes that are brittle. That is, as a result you will get fine dust that does not quite look like shavings. This is due to the fact that bronze contains a lot of tin, which crumbles and breaks off from the main piece of metal. Brass is sawn in a completely different way, forming layers, as well as characteristic ornate shavings.

Laboratory methods to distinguish brass from bronze

All these methods are suitable only if you want to distinguish standard brass from bronze, which contains a maximum of tin and zinc. Otherwise, the tests will be quite difficult, due to the fact that there is tin-free bronze, which does not contain tin at all. Accordingly, the color of the metal will be completely different. Therefore, it is quite difficult to find out the composition of the metal at home. In laboratory conditions, the composition is most often determined using spectrographic and refractometric analysis.

There are tests with nitric acid. To carry out the tests, pour some alloy shavings into the container and fill it with 50% nitric acid. The mixture of test tubes needs to be warmed up a little. In a test tube with brass, the alloy will dissolve and you will get a clear solution. In the container of the alloy with tin there will be a white precipitate of its salts.

Differences in the nature of the fracture and evaluation of the finished product

Many people will even say, why bother figuring out whether it’s brass or copper if the two alloys look almost the same? But the fact is that this is important for many, in particular for people who will be involved in making some kind of sculptures or melting them down. Accordingly, very often a distinction is required if you are going to sell metal for scrap.

The fact is that brass is cheaper than bronze, so at a metal collection point they can simply deceive you and offer you a smaller amount. If the weight is small, then the losses will be insignificant, Butif you have a fairly large quantity of goods, then you will lose a decent amount of money. It is worth noting,that there is no need to carry out tests, just look at finished goods. Brass is almost never used in shipping.

This material is destroyed when exposed to sea salt water, so compasses and some parts in shipbuilding are used exclusively in bronze. Therefore, if they are trying to deceive you, insist on checking the product, or contact a certified center. They usually have collection points as well as small compact laboratories. They can conduct a quick, simple analysis and analyze the product using laboratory equipment.

It is quite easy to distinguish between metals when viewing the fracture site. Brass breaks in fairly small grains, bronze breaks off in large pieces and has a coarse grain. At the same time, the color of the bronze fracture has a reddish tint; if it is brass, then it has a whitish or yellowish tint.

Unfortunately, these methods cannot be used at home due to the lack of laboratory equipment. Magnet and chip tests are available for home users. They are also very informative.

VIDEO: How to distinguish bronze from brass?

The most ancient alloys used by people are bronze and brass. They differ significantly in their composition, but their scope of application is similar. Modern alloys differ significantly from those used by our ancestors. The colors and composition of current metal compounds have undergone significant changes over time.

Archaeologists have found samples of bronze objects made about 25 centuries ago. These are sculptures, various decorations, armor, weapons, numerous household utensils, dishes, and coins. Along with them, brass products were also actively used, which are sometimes very difficult to distinguish from things made of bronze. Acquainted with appearance materials can be found in the corresponding photos. To understand how to distinguish bronze from brass or other materials, you need to familiarize yourself with their parameters.

Characteristics of brass

Brass alloy is produced by combining zinc with copper, to which nickel, iron, manganese, tin, and lead are sometimes added. Typically the material consists of 70% copper component, with 30% zinc component. Almost half of the produced alloy consists of recycled zinc. Technical metal contains about 50% zinc part with 4% lead.

There is also a special type of brass connection called “tompak”. The copper component in it reaches 97%, and the zinc component ranges from 10 to 30%. This compound makes excellent jewelry, various artistic products, insignia, and fittings.

A couple of centuries ago, brass alloys were often used as fake gold, which was achieved by using pure zinc rather than ore. This connection was very difficult for inexperienced users to recognize. It has become actively used in various industrial fields due to its unique properties. These alloys have high ductility, abrasion resistance and good corrosion resistance.

The difference between copper and brass

Copper has features that make it popular in the manufacture of various decorative elements. In addition, it has good electrical parameters, as a result of which it is used in the manufacture of electrical devices. At home, you can distinguish copper elements from brass by several signs:

• color;
• hardness;
• marking;
• area of ​​use.

Color

To determine the metal, it must be cleaned. The metal surface is freed from contamination using a solution of ordinary water and vinegar. This removes not only dirt, but also oxidative film. The product being tested is carefully examined under a white light source. A brass item differs from copper by simple visual observation. A copper item will have a brownish-red color with a uniform appearance, while brass will appear lighter, with multi-colored shimmers. This heterogeneity indicates the presence of several metals in the composition, which determine the color shade. It is practically impossible to detect copper under a yellow lamp or in daylight.

Hardness

To understand how to distinguish copper from brass, you should lightly tap them. When a copper product hits a hard surface, it produces a muffled sound. This is due to the special softness of the metal. Brass objects are characterized by a sharp, ringing sound of impact. This check used for large items.

Marking

Some items have special markings on their surface. For brass products, the letter “L” is used. Copper elements are practically not marked. Some parts may be marked with the letter "M" with a numerical addition. In this case, special reference books are used to determine the specific composition of the material.

Application area

These materials are also distinguished by area of ​​use. Brass alloys are often used for the manufacture of various components and parts. Copper is an ideal element for the production of electrical wires and other electrical parts. This is due to its excellent electrical parameters.

The difference between bronze and brass

Bronze, like brass, has a copper component at its core. Some brands of these alloys are similar in color, but completely excellent properties. The bronze item has a coarse-grained structure with a dark brown or reddish tint, in contrast to the yellowish brass with a fine-grained shape. It should be taken into account that the presence of tin in the bronze alloy large quantities gives it an almost white color. Modern compositions contain an alloying component of tin or any other (beryllium, lead, aluminum, silicon with zinc). Numerous things made of brass and bronze have differences, which can be determined by knowing their technical parameters.

Metal objects made of brass and bronze are distinguished by weight. A bronze item is heavier than a brass item, however, before determining the alloy, it is necessary to take items of approximately the same size for comparison. To determine what material a thing is made of, you need to try to bend it. A brass object may give in slightly, but a bronze object may break. You can try to make a small cut with a hacksaw, in which the bronze part will produce small shavings. It will not change its characteristics when heated.

To understand how to distinguish brass from bronze, you can use chemical method. A small amount of shavings of both alloys is placed in various glass containers with dilute nitric acid (parts 1 to 1). It is necessary to wait some time so that the bulk of the metal has time to dissolve in chemical composition. The liquid, which does not reach a boil, is kept on low heat for half an hour. When combined with bronze shavings, a whitish tin precipitate is formed.

Bronze is used to make large items, as it is more resistant to abrasion. In addition, a variety of marine accessories are also made from this alloy, which is not affected by salt water, is not susceptible to oxidation and does not rust.

The difference between silumin and brass

Silumin material consists of an aluminum base with the addition of silicon, as well as a small amount of copper, iron, and manganese. It has good wear resistance and strength compared to aluminum things. The difference between silumin and brass is the fragility of this material and the features of its application. They are used for casting many products used in a variety of fields, including household goods, as well as for the manufacture of costume jewelry. A silumin object is characterized by high porosity and low strength. During processing, silumin begins to crumble, which clearly distinguishes it from brass things.