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Aluminum Bronzes
Overview
Aluminum bronzes are used for their combination of high strength, excellent corrosion and wear resistance. Aluminum bronze alloys typically contain 9-12% aluminum and up to 6% iron and nickel. Alloys in these composition limits are hardened by a combination of solid solution strengthening, cold work, and precipitation of an iron rich phase. High aluminum alloys are quenched and tempered. Aluminum bronzes are used in marine hardware, shafts and pump and valve components for handling seawater, sour mine waters, nonoxidizing acids, and industrial process fluids. They are also used in applications such as heavy duty sleeve bearings, and machine tool ways. They are designated by UNS C60800 through C64210. Aluminum bronze castings have exceptional corrosion resistance, high strength, toughness and wear resistance and good casting and welding characteristics. Aluminum bronze castings are designated as UNS C95200 to C95900. The microstructure of the aluminum bronzes with less than 11% aluminum consist of alpha solid solution and the iron and nickel rich kappa phase. The kappa phase absorbs aluminum from the alpha solid solution preventing the formation of the beta phase unless the aluminum content is above 11%. The kappa phase increases the mechanical strength of the aluminum bronzes, with no decrease in ductility. The decrease in ductility of the aluminum bronzes occurs when the beta phase forms. The beta phase is harder and more brittle than the alpha phase. Beta is formed if the material is quenched or fast cooled, which then transforms into a hard, acicular martensite structure. Tempering the martensite results in a structure of alpha with kappa precipitates. The tempered structure is very desirable, it has high strength and hardness. The slow cooled, as cast structures consist of alpha and kappa phases. Kappa is present in the lamellar form and finely divided in all the alpha areas. The addition of iron and nickel also suppress the formation of the gamma double prime phase which has deleterious effects on the properties of aluminum copper alloys.
NOTE: The file size of the Larger and Largest View of the Micrographs are substantially larger than the thumbnail shown. The Larger View images range in size from 11K to 120K depending on the image. The Largest View images range in size from 125K to almost 500K.

Alloy Family: Product Form: Processing: Etchant:

Aluminum bronzes Plate Hot rolled

Scale Line Length: ~ 125Microns Nominal Composition: Cu 90.83, Al 6.5, Fe 2.4, Sn Alloy: Temper: C61300

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Larger View of Micrograph (images/D2_001m.JPG) Largest View of Micrograph (images/D2_001h.JPG)

Material: Source:

Aluminum bronze, 6-7.5 Al University of Florida

Alloy Family: Product Form: Processing: Etchant:

Aluminum bronzes Rod Extruded and cold drawn

Scale Line Length: ~ 125Microns Nominal Composition: Cu 90.83, Al 6.5, Fe 2.4, Sn 0.27 Larger View of Micrograph (images/D2_003m.JPG) Largest View of Micrograph (images/D2_003h.JPG) Alloy: Temper: Material: Source: Aluminum bronze, 6-7.5 Al University of Florida C61300

Alloy Family: Product Form: Processing: Etchant:

Aluminum bronzes Rod Extruded and cold drawn 10%

Scale Line Length: ~ 25Microns Nominal Composition: Cu 87.1, Al 9.3, Fe 3.6 Larger View of Micrograph (images/D2_008m.JPG) Largest View of Micrograph (images/D2_008h.JPG) Alloy: Temper: Material: Source: Aluminum bronze, 10-11.5 Al University of Florida C62400

Alloy Family: Product Form:

Aluminum bronzes Rod

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Processing: Etchant:

Extruded

Scale Line Length: ~ 50Microns Alloy: Temper: Nominal Composition: Cu 83.8, Al 12.0, Fe 4.2 Larger View of Micrograph (images/D2_009m.JPG) Largest View of Micrograph (images/D2_009h.JPG) Alloy Family: Product Form: Processing: Etchant: Scale Line Length: Nominal Composition: Cu 82.5, Al 9.7, Ni 4.9, Fe 2.9 Larger View of Micrograph (images/D2_013m.JPG) Largest View of Micrograph (images/D2_013h.JPG) Alloy: Temper: Material: Source: Nickel-aluminum bronze, 9.0-11.0 Al, 4.0-5.5 Ni University of Florida ~ 25Microns C63000 As quenched from 857C Aluminum bronzes Material: Source: Aluminum bronze, 12.5-13.5 Al University of Florida C62500

Alloy Family: Product Form: Processing: Etchant: Scale Line Length: Nominal Composition: Cu 82.5, Al 9.7, Ni 4.9, Fe 2.9 Larger View of Micrograph (images/D2_011m.JPG) Largest View of Micrograph (images/D2_011h.JPG) Alloy: Temper: Material: Source:

Aluminum bronzes Rod Extruded and cold drawn

~ 125Microns C63000

Nickel-aluminum bronze, 9.0-11.0 Al, 4.0-5.5 Ni University of Florida

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Alloy Family: Product Form: Processing: Etchant: Scale Line Length: Nominal Composition: Cu 80.4, Al 8.9, Ni 5.0, Fe 4.7, Alloy: Mn 1.0 Temper: Larger View of Micrograph Material: (images/D2_015m.JPG) Largest View of Micrograph (images/D2_015h.JPG) Source: ~ 125Microns C63200 Extruded Aluminum bronzes

Nickel-aluminum bronze, 8.7-9.5 Al , 4.0-4.8 Ni University of Florida

Alloy Family: Product Form: Processing: Etchant: Scale Line Length: Nominal Composition: Cu 80.4, Al 8.9, Ni 5.0, Fe 4.7, Alloy: Mn 1.0 Temper: Larger View of Micrograph Material: (images/D2_018m.JPG) Largest View of Micrograph (images/D2_018h.JPG) Source:

Aluminum bronzes

Quenched from 927C and tempered at 705C

~ 500Microns C63200

Nickel-aluminum bronze, 8.7-9.5 Al , 4.0-4.8 Ni University of Florida

Alloy Family: Product Form: Processing: Etchant:

Aluminum bronzes Cast Cast, annealed at 621C and water quenched

Scale Line Length: ~ 500Microns

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Alloy: Temper: Material: Source:

C95400

Aluminum bronze, 10-11.5 Al University of Florida

Nominal Composition: Cu 85.8, Al 10.2, Fe 4.0 Larger View of Micrograph (images/D2_052m.JPG) Largest View of Micrograph (images/D2_052h.JPG) Alloy Family: Product Form: Processing: Etchant: Scale Line Length: ~ 50Microns Nominal Composition: Cu 85.8, Al 10.2, Fe 4.0 Larger View of Micrograph (images/D2_054m.JPG) Largest View of Micrograph (images/D2_054h.JPG) Alloy: Temper: Material: Source: Aluminum bronze, 10-11.5 Al University of Florida C95400 Aluminum bronzes Cast Annealed and furnace cooled

Alloy Family: Product Form: Processing: Etchant:

Aluminum bronzes Cast Annealed at 621C and water quenched

Scale Line Length: ~ 25Microns Nominal Composition: Cu 85.8, Al 10.2, Fe 4.0 Larger View of Micrograph (images/D2_053m.JPG) Largest View of Micrograph (images/D2_053h.JPG) Alloy: Temper: Material: Source: Aluminum bronze, 10-11.5 Al University of Florida C95400

Alloy Family: Product Form: Processing: Etchant:

Aluminum bronzes Cast Cast and quenched from 913C

Scale Line Length: ~ 125Microns Alloy: C95400

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Temper: Material: Source: Aluminum bronze, 10-11.5 Al University of Florida

Nominal Composition: Cu 85.8, Al 10.2, Fe 4.0 Alloy Family: Larger View of Micrograph (images/D2_057m.JPG) Largest View of Micrograph (images/D2_057h.JPG) Product Form: Processing: Etchant: Scale Line Length: Nominal Composition: Cu 78 min, Al 10.0-11.5, Ni 3.0-5.5, Fe 3.0-5.0, Mn 3.5 Larger View of Micrograph (images/D2_060m.JPG) Largest View of Micrograph (images/D2_060h.JPG) Alloy: Temper: Material: Source: Nickel-aluminum bronze, 10-11.5 Al, 3-5.5 Ni, Mn 3.5 University of Florida ~ 250Microns C95500 Aluminum bronzes Cast Cast and heat treated

Alloy Family: Product Form: Processing: Etchant:

Aluminum bronzes Cast Annealed at 621C and air cooled

Scale Line Length: ~ 25Microns Nominal Composition: Cu 81.4, Al 8.9.5, Ni 4.7, Fe 4.0, Mn 1.0 Larger View of Micrograph (images/D2_066m.JPG) Largest View of Micrograph (images/D2_066h.JPG) Alloy: Temper: Material: Source: Nickel-aluminum bronze, 9 Al, 4.5 Ni University of Florida C95800

Alloy Family: Product Form: Processing: Etchant:

Aluminum bronzes Cast Cast and quenched from 857C

Scale Line Length: ~ 25Microns

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Alloy: Temper: Material: Source:

C95800

Nickel-aluminum bronze, 9 Al, 4.5 Ni University of Florida

Nominal Composition: Cu 81.4, Al 8.9.5, Ni 4.7, Fe 4.0, Mn 1.0 Larger View of Micrograph (images/D2_062m.JPG) Largest View of Micrograph (images/D2_062h.JPG)

Alloy Family: Product Form: Processing: Etchant:

Aluminum bronzes Cast Cast and quenched from 857C

Scale Line Length: ~ 125Microns Nominal Composition: Cu 81.4, Al 8.9.5, Ni 4.7, Fe 4.0, Mn 1.0 Larger View of Micrograph (images/D2_061m.JPG) Largest View of Micrograph (images/D2_061h.JPG) Alloy: Temper: Material: Source: Nickel-aluminum bronze, 9 Al, 4.5 Ni University of Florida C95800

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