The key difference between bronze and phosphor bronze is that the bronze is an alloy of copper, whereas the phosphor bronze is a type of bronze in which phosphorous is added as an additional component.
Bronze is an important alloy that has a wide variety of uses. Phosphor bronze is a type of bronze which has more desirable properties such as high strength that comes due to the presence of phosphorus and tin.
CONTENTS
1. Overview and Key Difference
2. What is Bronze
3. What is Phosphor Bronze
4. Side by Side Comparison – Bronze vs Phosphor Bronze in Tabular Form
5. Summary
What is Bronze?
Bronze is an alloy that mainly consists of copper and tin metal. Sometimes, the manufacturers mix some other elements with copper to make bronze. Such elements include arsenic, phosphorus, aluminium, manganese and silicon.
Looking at its appearance; the bronze normally appears in a dull gold colour. We can also recognize it in a reddish-brown appearance. Furthermore, its melting point may depend on the amount of tin present. Besides, according to the composition of metals, there are two types of bronze as phosphor bronze and aluminium bronze.
Property wise, bronze is highly ductile (able to be drawn into thin wires) and exhibits low friction. Also, considering the usefulness of bronze, it is important in boat and ship fittings due to its resistance towards corrosion by saltwater. It is also widely useful in sculptures, mirrors, reflectors, springs, etc.
What is Phosphor Bronze?
The phosphor bronze is a tough and hard form of bronze containing a small amount of phosphorus, used especially for bearings. Therefore, it is an alloy of copper, tin and phosphorous.
Besides, this material mostly appears in a reddish-brown colour. Concerning the properties, it has considerably high fluidity and castability in its molten phase. Also, the composition of tin increases its resistance towards corrosion and its strength as well.
Furthermore, this material has important applications due to its strength, durability, low coefficient of friction, etc. In the market, we can obtain this material in the form of wires, tubes, bars, plates and sheets.
What is the Difference Between Bronze and Phosphor Bronze?
There are different types of bronze, depending on their chemical composition. Bronze mainly composes copper and tin, along with some trace elements. Phosphor bronze is one type of bronze that composes phosphorous as the trace element, in addition to copper and tin. Therefore, the key difference between bronze and phosphor bronze is that bronze is an alloy of copper, whereas phosphor bronze is a type of bronze in which phosphorous is added as an additional component.
Furthermore, they have different properties; the common properties of bronze are high ductility, less brittleness, high corrosion resistance, better conductance of heat and electricity, etc., while the important properties of phosphor bronze include high corrosion resistance, high strength, durability, and low coefficient of fiction.
Besides, another difference between bronze and phosphor bronze is their appearance. Bronze is usually in a dull gold colour, where as the phosphor bronze appears in a reddish-brown color.
Summary – Bronze vs Phosphor Bronze
In summary, bronze is an important alloy of copper. Also, there are different types of bronze, depending on the chemical composition. Phosphor bronze is one such type. The key difference between bronze and phosphor bronze is that the bronze is an alloy of copper, whereas the phosphor bronze is a type of bronze which contains phosphorous as an additional component.
Reference:
1. Helmenstine, Anne Marie. “Composition and Properties of Bronze.” ThoughtCo, Jul. 17, 2019, Available here.
Image Courtesy:
1. “Norwid Relief” (CC BY-SA 2.0) via Commons Wikimedia
2. “Loppusijoituskapseli” By kallerna – Own work (Public Domain) via Commons Wikimedia