Brass

Brass is a metal alloy made of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other within the same crystal structure.The main component of brass is copper. The amount of copper varies between 55% and 95% by weight depending on the type of brass and its intended use. Brasses containing a high percentage of copper are made from electrically refined copper that is at least 99.3% pure to minimize the amount of other materials. Brasses containing a lower percentage of copper can also be made from electrically refined copper, but are more commonly made from less-expensive recycled copper alloy scrap. When recycled scrap is used, the percentages of copper and other materials in the scrap must be known so that the manufacturer can adjust the amounts of materials to be added in order to achieve the desired brass composition.