UNS C89320 Bismuth Bronze
C89320 bronze is a bronze formulated for casting. Cited properties are appropriate for the as-fabricated (no temper or treatment) condition. It has a very high base cost among cast bronzes. In addition, it has a fairly high electrical conductivity and a moderately low heat capacity.
The graph bars on the material properties cards below compare C89320 bronze to: cast bronzes (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
17 %
Poisson's Ratio
0.34
Shear Modulus
40 GPa 5.8 x 106 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
270 MPa 39 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
140 MPa 21 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
190 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
180 °C 360 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
1050 °C 1910 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
930 °C 1700 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
360 J/kg-K 0.087 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
56 W/m-K 32 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
17 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
15 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
15 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
37 % relative
Density
8.9 g/cm3 550 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
3.5 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
56 MJ/kg 24 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
490 L/kg 58 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
38 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
93 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
6.8 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
18 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
8.5 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
10 points
Thermal Diffusivity
17 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
10 points
Alloy Composition
Among cast copper alloys, the composition of C89320 bronze is notable for including bismuth (Bi). Bismuth improves machinability and pressure tightness. It is used a non-toxic but more expensive replacement for lead.
| Cu | 87 to 91 | |
| Sn | 5.0 to 7.0 | |
| Bi | 4.0 to 6.0 | |
| Ni | 0 to 1.0 | |
| Zn | 0 to 1.0 | |
| Sb | 0 to 0.35 | |
| P | 0 to 0.3 | |
| Fe | 0 to 0.2 | |
| Pb | 0 to 0.090 | |
| S | 0 to 0.080 | |
| Si | 0 to 0.0050 | |
| Al | 0 to 0.0050 | |
| res. | 0 to 0.5 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Similar Alloys
Further Reading
ASTM B505: Standard Specification for Copper Alloy Continuous Castings
ASM Specialty Handbook: Copper and Copper Alloys, J. R. Davis (editor), 2001
CRC Materials Science and Engineering Handbook, 4th ed., James F. Shackelford et al. (editors), 2015