Understanding Manganese Alloy Including Its Properties and Applications
“Alloy is a homogeneous mixture of two or metals or non-metals.” Almost all of us have learned this term during our schooling education but come to know later about the significance of alloys. On the basis of features like durability, malleability and ductility, different metals, we classify the quality standards. Here we are going to elaborate on manganese bronze alloy including all important aspects.
Manganese in its pure state is a pinkish-grey metal that is very brittle and oxidizes easily. However, its extreme hardness and high melting point properties are the two reasons why the alloy industry prefers it to serve various purposes. Manganese steel and manganese steel alloy are the two most popular alloys present in the market with huge demand. Today we will elaborate on the significant features of manganese bronze alloy. Talking about industrial use, we need it in aerospace and oil rigs etc. Some of its most common uses are:-
- Gears
- Welding rods
- Cams
- Landing gear parts
- Heavy load bearings
- Bolts
Now the most important thing to consider is its compositions. Let’s elaborate on it in detail.
Understanding physical properties
When we talk about an allow, it means the homogeneous mixture of multiple elements. In the case of manganese bronze alloy, copper is the major element. This alloy comprises around 60-68% of copper. Manganese comes at the fourth number from the perspective of percentage which remains between 2.5 – 5.0 %. Zinc is the second major element of this alloy which exists almost 25% and then comes aluminum with a portion of 3.0 – 7.5 %. Apart from these four major elements, tin and iron also exist in small percentages. After the physical properties, it’s time to understand the mechanical properties of manganese bronze.
Understanding Mechanical properties
Strength is one of the most valuable features of why this alloy has a huge demand in the market. Its tensile yield strength is 66700 psi which is much better than several low carbon and aluminum alloys. Modulus of elasticity or we can say the ability to return back to the previous shape of this alloy is also impressive. 15200 ksi elasticity makes it more formable than various other materials.
Wear-resistance or we can say the fatigue strength of this alloy is 24700 psi. That means, it can perform excellently under heavy cyclic loading conditions. This property is the main reason why aerospace, oil and marine industry demand for manganese bronze always remains high. Corrosion resistance is another productive feature that gives it an edge over conventional alloy materials. The corrosion resistance property also withstands the saltwater of the sea.
Some downsides
When we talk about hardness, scratch resistance is also included along with deformation resistance. At the hardness parameter, it scores Rockwell B hardness of around 65 which is not enough for scratch resistance from hard metals. Difficulty in fabrication through welding and the heavy price tag are also two disadvantages you need to know.
If you need this alloy for any kind of industrial purpose, it is advisable to check the physical properties carefully. High tensile strength, oxidation resistance and hardenability are the three major reasons why you should go with this option.
