Modified brass alloys with improved stress relaxation resistance
AssigneeOlin Corporation
InventorsWarren F. Smith, Jr., John M. Vitek, Eugene Shapiro
Life of this patent
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Abstract
An alloy system which exhibits improved resistance to stress relaxation at elevated temperatures utilizes additions of magnesium plus aluminum to a copper-zinc base to attain the stress relaxation performance. Processing of this alloy system should be performed so as to maintain at least 90% by weight alpha-phase within the alloy.
Claims15
An essentially single-phase alpha alloy which is particularly resistant to stress relaxation at elevated temperatures, said alloy consisting essentially of from 0.05 to 0.5% by weight magnesium, from 0.02 to 0.5% by weight aluminum, from 8 to 32.8% by weight zinc, balance copper, with the maximum wt.% zinc=32.8-4.8.times.wt.% aluminum.
A method for producing an essentially single-phase alpha alloy which is particularly resistant to stress relaxation at elevated temperatures, said method comprising the steps of:
- (a) casting an alloy consisting essentially of from 0.05 to 0.5% by weight magnesium, from 0.02 to 0.5% by weight aluminum, from 8 to 32.8% by weight zinc, balance copper, with the maximum wt.% zinc=32.8-4.8.times.wt.% aluminum;
- (b) hot working said alloy at a temperature above the recrystallization temperature of the alloy and below the solidus temperature of the alloy;
- (c) cold working said alloy with up to but not including a 100% reduction in area;
- and
- (d) annealing the worked alloy at 150.degree. to 900.degree. C. to recrystallize the alloy to a grain size of 0.005 to 0.050 mm.
Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.