UNS C34500 Leaded Brass
C34500 brass is a brass formulated for primary forming into wrought products.
The properties of C34500 brass include three common variations. This page shows summary ranges across all of them. For more specific values, follow the links immediately below. The graph bars on the material properties cards further below compare C34500 brass to: wrought brasses (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
100 GPa 15 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
12 to 28 %
Poisson's Ratio
0.31
Shear Modulus
40 GPa 5.7 x 106 psi
Shear Strength
220 to 260 MPa 32 to 38 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
340 to 430 MPa 49 to 62 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
120 to 180 MPa 17 to 26 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
170 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
120 °C 250 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
910 °C 1670 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
890 °C 1630 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
380 J/kg-K 0.091 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Conductivity
120 W/m-K 67 BTU/h-ft-°F
Thermal Expansion
21 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
26 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
29 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
24 % relative
Density
8.2 g/cm3 510 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
2.6 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
45 MJ/kg 19 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
320 L/kg 38 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
42 to 75 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
69 to 160 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
7.1 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
19 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
12 to 15 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
13 to 16 points
Thermal Diffusivity
37 mm2/s
Thermal Shock Resistance
11 to 14 points
Alloy Composition
Among wrought copper alloys, the composition of C34500 brass is notable for containing a comparatively high amount of lead (Pb). Lead is used to improve machinability and bearing properties, at the cost of toxicity.
| Cu | 62 to 65 | |
| Zn | 32 to 36.5 | |
| Pb | 1.5 to 2.5 | |
| Fe | 0 to 0.15 | |
| res. | 0 to 0.4 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Similar Alloys
Further Reading
ASTM B453: Standard Specification for Copper-Zinc-Lead Alloy (Leaded-Brass) Rod, Bar, and Shapes
ASM Specialty Handbook: Copper and Copper Alloys, J. R. Davis (editor), 2001