Hardness of Common Copper Alloys
The hardness of copper alloys varies widely depending on the alloying elements and the processing methods used. Pure copper is relatively soft, with a Brinell hardness of around 36 HB. However, the hardness of copper alloys can be significantly increased through alloying and processing.
The following tables provide a curated list of Brinell hardness (HB) values for different copper alloys.
All values are taken at room temperature (approximately 20°C or 68°F).
| Oxygen-free electronic copper (C10100) | 42 - 96 |
| Oxygen-free copper (C10200) | 49 - 87 |
| Oxygen-free low-phosphorus copper (C10800) | 54 - 82 |
| Electrolytic tough pitch copper (C11000) | 49 - 87 |
| Phosphorus deoxidized arsenical copper (C14200) | 50 |
| Beryllium copper (C17200) | 100 - 363 |
| Beryllium copper (C17000) | 100 - 363 |
| Chromium copper (C18200) | 58 - 140 |
| Cobalt beryllium copper (C17500) | 67 - 215 |
| Silver-bearing copper (C11300) | 55 - 90 |
| Sulfur copper (C14700) | 55 - 85 |
| Tellurium copper (C14500) | 49 - 80 |
| Admiralty brass (C44300) | 105 |
| Aluminum brass (C68700) | 75 |
| Cartridge brass (C26000) | 65 - 132 |
| Free-cutting brass (C36000) | 105 |
| Gilding metal (C21000) | 65 - 105 |
| Architectural bronze (C38500) | 95 |
| Hot stamping brass (C37700) | 95 |
| Low brass (C24000) | 65 - 130 |
| Muntz metal (C28000) | 85 - 120 |
| Naval brass (C46400) | 100 |
| Red brass (C23000) | 65 - 125 |
| Yellow brass (C26800) | 65 - 137 |
| Phosphor bronze (C51100) | 70 - 195 |
| Phosphor bronze A (C51000) | 71 - 205 |
| Phosphor bronze C (C52100) | 80 - 210 |
| Aluminum bronze D (C61400) | 90 - 160 |
| Aluminum bronze (C60800) | 85 |
| Aluminum bronze (C63000) | 200 |
| Copper nickel (C70400) | 60 - 65 |
| Copper nickel (C70600) | 65 - 70 |
| Copper nickel (C71500) | 90 |
| Nickel silver 10% (C74500) | 66 - 155 |
| Nickel silver 12% (C75200) | 65 - 210 |
| Nickel silver 15% (C74500) | 70 - 210 |
| Nickel silver 18% (C75200) | 77 - 166 |
| Nickel silver 25% (C74500) | 75 - 201 |
| Admiralty gun metal (C90500) | 75 - 80 |
| Aluminum bronze (C95200) | 125 |
| Aluminum bronze (C95500) | 192 - 230 |
| Beryllium copper (C81300) | 39 |
| Cast copper (C81100) | 44 |
| Chromium copper (C81500) | 105 |
| High-tensile brass (C86500) | 100 - 130 |
| Hydraulic bronze (C83800) | 60 |
| Leaded gunmetal (C83600) | 60 - 65 |
| Silicon brass (C87500) | 115 - 134 |
| Tin bronze (C90700) | 80 - 110 |
The hardness of copper alloys can vary based on the specific alloy composition, heat treatment, and testing conditions.
Related Tables
References: 1) Cardarelli, François. Materials Handbook: A Concise Desktop Reference. Switzerland: Springer International Publishing, 2018.