Investigation of aluminum addition on the microstructure and mechanical properties of Cu-31Zn-0.1Mn-xAl alloys

Brass is an alloy of copper (Cu) and zinc (Zn). Brass has good strength, ductility, corrosion resistance, formability, and machinability. The most widely used brass alloy is cartridge brass. This type is a brass alloy with a composition of 70%Cu and 30%Zn. The mechanical properties of cartridge brass can be improved by adding other alloying elements. In this study, the addition of aluminum to the Cu-31Zn-0.1Mn alloy was varied to 0.2, 0.6, and 1 wt.% using the gravity casting method. The as-cast sample was then homogenized at 800 °C for 2 hours. Furthermore, sample characterization includes chemical composition and microstructure analysis, hardness test and tensile test. Investigations show that the addition of 1% aluminum to Cu-31Zn-0.1Mn promotes β phase formation. On the other hand, the addition of aluminum to Cu-31Zn-0.1Mn also tends to increase the hardness and tensile strength.