As an alloy of copper and zinc, brass has many of the same properties of copper – it’s corrosion-resistant, highly machinable and very ductile.
Brass is significantly harder than equivalent copper, but has a lower melting point (typically around 940-980 deg. C).
Brass metal forms a patina when exposed to atmospheric moisture, so it is corrosion-resistant in all but the harshest environments. Specialist marine brass is required to withstand saltwater corrosion, however.
Brass rounds are renowned for excellent machineability, offering smooth, easy and accurate cutting, whether by a manual tap or die or complex CNC processes.
Brass offers excellent thermal conductivity and good electrical conductivity.
Brass has inherent anti-microbial properties.
For formability, brass is especially responsive and suitable for hot working, and so is ideal for forming complex shapes by hot extrusion and other heat-applying methods. But the inherent hardness of brass, especially when compared to copper, makes it generally poor for cold working.
The same applies for ductility – brass round bar can be drawn when hot-worked, but ductility when cold is limited.
Because heating makes brass softer, brass rounds cannot be heat-hardened, but can be hardened by cold-working. However, when cold-worked brass rapidly transforms from hard to brittle, care must be taken.