Brass and bronze are common engineering materials in modern architecture and primarily used for roofing and facade cladding due to their visual appearance. Some of the common uses for brass alloys include costume jewelry, locks, hinges, gears, bearings, hose couplings, ammunition casings, automotive radiators, musical instruments, electronic packaging, and coins. Brass can range in surface color from red to yellow to gold to silver depending on the zinc content. The relatively low melting point of brass and its fluidity make it a relatively easy material to cast. Brass has higher malleability than bronze or zinc. Brasses with a copper content greater than 63% are the most ductile of any copper alloy and are shaped by complex cold forming operations. Increased amounts of zinc provide the material with improved strength and ductility.
Brass can be alloyed with zinc in different proportions, which results in a material of varying mechanical, corrosion and thermal properties. Brass is is the generic term for a range of copper-zinc alloys.
