ABSTRACT
Because of their corrosion resistance and the fact that copper alloys have been used for many thousands of years, the number of copper alloys available is second only to the ferrous alloys. In general, copper alloys do not have the high-strength qualities of the ferrous alloys, while their density is comparable. The cost per strength-weight ratio is high; however, they have the advantage of ease of joining by soldering, which is not shared by other metals that have reasonable corrosion resistance. This chapter discusses the mechanical properties of copper alloys, tin and lead-base alloys, titanium alloys, zinc alloys and zirconium alloys. It also discusses the properties of high-temperature metals and specific stiffness of metals, alloys, and certain nonmetallics. The largest use of metal powders is for production of parts, shapes, and electrodes by powder metallurgy. The chapter describes the methods for bonding dissimilar metals and welding process classifications are listed.
