UNS C32000 Leaded Red Brass
C32000 brass is a brass formulated for primary forming into wrought products. It has a moderately high thermal conductivity and a moderately high electrical conductivity among wrought brasses.
The properties of C32000 brass include three common variations. This page shows summary ranges across all of them. For more specific values, follow the links immediately below. The graph bars on the material properties cards further below compare C32000 brass to: wrought brasses (top), all copper alloys (middle), and the entire database (bottom). A full bar means this is the highest value in the relevant set. A half-full bar means it's 50% of the highest, and so on.
Mechanical Properties
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus
110 GPa 16 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
6.8 to 29 %
Poisson's Ratio
0.33
Shear Modulus
41 GPa 6.0 x 106 psi
Shear Strength
180 to 280 MPa 26 to 40 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
270 to 470 MPa 40 to 69 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
78 to 390 MPa 11 to 56 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
190 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
170 °C 340 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
1020 °C 1880 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
990 °C 1820 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
380 J/kg-K 0.091 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
160 W/m-K 90 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
19 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
36 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
37 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
28 % relative
Density
8.7 g/cm3 540 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
2.6 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
42 MJ/kg 18 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
310 L/kg 37 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
30 to 59 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
28 to 680 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
7.1 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
18 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
8.8 to 15 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
11 to 16 points
Thermal Diffusivity
47 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
9.5 to 16 points
Alloy Composition
Among wrought copper alloys, the composition of C32000 brass is notable for containing a comparatively high amount of lead (Pb) and including nickel (Ni). Lead is used to improve machinability and bearing properties, at the cost of toxicity. Nickel is used to improve strength (particularly at elevated temperatures) and corrosion resistance.
| Cu | 83.5 to 86.5 | |
| Zn | 10.6 to 15 | |
| Pb | 1.5 to 2.2 | |
| Ni | 0 to 0.25 | |
| Fe | 0 to 0.1 | |
| res. | 0 to 0.4 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Similar Alloys
Further Reading
ASTM B140: Standard Specification for Copper-Zinc-Lead (Red Brass or Hardware Bronze) Rod, Bar, and Shapes
ASM Specialty Handbook: Copper and Copper Alloys, J. R. Davis (editor), 2001