GUNMETAL (CuSnZnPb)
History
The extraordinary long service life of tin bronze is confirmed by old findings such as bells, vessels and objet d'arts. Already in ancient history, copper alloys with 20% to 50% tin were used to make mirrors, thanks to their high reflection properties. Early graphic casting reached its peak after 500 B.C. in Greece where the 30 m high statue of the sun god Helios in the port of Rhodes was composed of bronze castings. |
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Characteristics
Gunmetal is a copper-tin cast alloy to which zinc has been added. Lead can also be added to improve machining and gliding properties. Thanks to its special properties, gunmetal plays a special role among the tin bronzes. It is corrosion resistant and also resistant to stress corrosion cracking and dezincification. |
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Applications / Products
Gunmetal is used in the building industry for valves, screwed, soldered and pressed fittings for sanitary and heating engineering and complies with the hygiene requirements of DIN 50930-6. Particularly in sanitary installations, gunmetal is ideal for shut-off, safety and control valves, as fittings material for pipe system components or as constructional material in water, filter and purification technology. gunmetal is ideal for universal use and can be combined as required with all known installation materials (copper, stainless steel, galvanised steel and plastic). gunmetal with the correct composition can be used without restrictions in drinking water applications. Thanks to its outstanding gliding and emergency running properties, gunmetal is also frequently used as a material for plain bearings in drive technology. The copper-tin-zinc group of cast alloys (gunmetal) is in quantitative terms the largest application group of tin bronzes. |
