spore: profile
id: leaded-tin-bronze-c93800
spore_version: 0.2
family: copper-alloys
name: Leaded tin bronze C93800 (SAE 67, high-leaded tin bronze)
abbreviation: C93800
role: bearing bronze
category: metals
type: copper-alloys
summary: |
  Leaded tin bronze C93800 is a cast copper-tin-lead alloy with the UNS number C93800, also called SAE 67. Wieland Concast lists it at 75.00-79.00 % copper, 13.00-16.00 % lead and 6.30-7.50 % tin. Its density is 9.25 g/cm3 at 20 °C and its liquidus temperature is 943 °C. The minimum tensile strength under ASTM B505 is 172 MPa, with 110 MPa minimum yield strength and 5 % minimum elongation. Centrifugal castings to ASTM B271 are listed at 207 MPa minimum tensile strength and 83 MPa minimum yield strength.
best_for: Bearings and bushings that may lose their lubricating film, because the lead gives free cutting and lubricity (Wieland Concast)
weakest_at: 'Strength: 172 MPa minimum tensile strength under ASTM B505 and a typical hardness of 55 BHN (500 kg load)'
identity:
  formula: 'Cast copper-tin-lead alloy: Cu 75.00-79.00 %, Pb 13.00-16.00 %, Sn 6.30-7.50 % (ASTM B505 composition)'
  source: icast-sae-j462
  where: Chemical Composition table (Cu, Pb and Sn ranges); Cross Reference Table (C93800, UNS)
  designations:
    - system: UNS
      code: C93800
      source: icast-sae-j462
      where: Cross Reference Table, row C93800, standard UNS
    - system: ASTM
      code: B505
      source: concast-c93800
      where: Similar or equivalent specification, ASTM column (B505 and B505M)
    - system: ASTM
      code: B505M
      source: concast-c93800
      where: Similar or equivalent specification, ASTM column (B505 and B505M)
    - system: ASTM
      code: B271
      note: centrifugal castings
      source: icast-astm-b271
      where: 'Title line: ASTM B271 High-Lead Tin Bronze UNS C93800'
    - system: ASME
      code: SB-505
      source: icast-astm-b271
      where: Cross Reference Table, row SB-505 C93800
    - system: SAE
      code: CA938
      source: icast-astm-b271
      where: Cross Reference Table, row CA938
    - system: SAE
      code: '67'
      note: printed as SAE 67 under Other
      source: concast-c93800
      where: Similar or equivalent specification, Other column
    - system: Trade name
      code: Anti-Acid Metal
      source: concast-c93800
      where: Similar or equivalent specification, Other column
tags:
  environments: []
  stresses: []
  applications:
    - mechanisms
properties:
  - benchmark: density
    label: Density, C93800 (CDA physical properties)
    value: 9.25
    unit: g/cm3
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 20 °C
      unit_in_source: gm/cm3
      form: grade-level value; no process stated
    method: Value printed in a manufacturer datasheet (metric column)
    status: ground
    source: concast-c93800
    where: Physical properties table, Density row (metric column)
  - benchmark: melting_point
    label: Melting point, liquidus
    value: 943
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      pressure: not stated
      unit_in_source: 1730 °F
    method: Value printed in a manufacturer datasheet
    status: ground
    source: concast-c93800
    where: Physical properties table, Melting point - liquidus row
  - benchmark: melting_point
    label: Melting point, solidus
    value: 854
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      pressure: not stated
      unit_in_source: 1570 °F
    method: Value printed in a manufacturer datasheet
    status: ground
    source: concast-c93800
    where: Physical properties table, Melting point - solidus row
  - benchmark: melting_point
    label: Incipient melting
    value: 316
    unit: °C
    scope: material
    conditions:
      unit_in_source: 600 °F
      note: onset of melting within the hot-short range
    method: Value printed in a manufacturer datasheet
    status: ground
    source: concast-c93800
    where: Physical properties table, Incipient melting row
  - benchmark: electrical_conductivity
    label: Electrical conductivity at 20 °C
    value: 0.066
    unit: MegaSiemens/cm
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 20 °C
      unit_in_source: 0.066 MegaSiemens/cm at 20 °C
    method: Value printed in a manufacturer datasheet (metric column)
    status: ground
    source: concast-c93800
    where: Physical properties table, Electrical conductivity row
  - benchmark: electrical_conductivity
    label: Electrical conductivity, relative to annealed copper
    value: 11
    unit: '% IACS'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 68 °F
      unit_in_source: 11% IACS at 68 °F
    method: Value printed in a manufacturer datasheet (US customary column)
    status: ground
    source: concast-c93800
    where: Physical properties table, Electrical conductivity row
  - benchmark: thermal_conductivity
    value: 52.3
    unit: W/m
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 20 °C
      unit_in_source: 52.3 W/m at 20 °C
      note: the datasheet prints the unit as W/m without the kelvin term
    method: Value printed in a manufacturer datasheet (metric column)
    status: ground
    source: concast-c93800
    where: Physical properties table, Thermal conductivity row
  - benchmark: specific_heat
    value: 377.1
    unit: J/kg
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: 20 °C
      unit_in_source: 377.1 J/kg at 20 °C
    method: Value printed in a manufacturer datasheet (metric column)
    status: ground
    source: concast-c93800
    where: Physical properties table, Specific heat capacity row
  - benchmark: elastic_modulus
    label: Modulus of elasticity in tension
    value: 72400
    unit: MPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      temperature: not stated
      unit_in_source: 10500 ksi
    method: Value printed in a manufacturer datasheet (metric column)
    status: ground
    source: concast-c93800
    where: Physical properties table, Modulus of elasticity in tension row
  - benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
    label: Tensile strength, minimum (continuous cast, ASTM B505/B505M-23)
    value: 172
    unit: MPa
    bound: lower
    scope: material
    conditions:
      standard: ASTM B505/B505M-23 as printed on the datasheet
      unit_in_source: 25 ksi
      product: continuous-cast product sheet
    method: Minimum value printed in a manufacturer datasheet
    status: ground
    source: concast-c93800
    where: Mechanical properties table, Tensile strength min row
  - benchmark: yield_strength
    label: Yield strength at 0.5 % extension under load, minimum (continuous cast, ASTM B505/B505M-23)
    value: 110
    unit: MPa
    bound: lower
    scope: material
    conditions:
      standard: ASTM B505/B505M-23 as printed on the datasheet
      unit_in_source: 16 ksi
      product: continuous-cast product sheet
    method: Minimum value printed in a manufacturer datasheet
    status: ground
    source: concast-c93800
    where: Mechanical properties table, Yield strength row
  - benchmark: elongation
    label: Elongation in 2 in or 50 mm, minimum (continuous cast, ASTM B505/B505M-23)
    value: 5
    unit: '%'
    bound: lower
    scope: material
    conditions:
      standard: ASTM B505/B505M-23 as printed on the datasheet
      gauge: 2 in or 50 mm
      product: continuous-cast product sheet
    method: Minimum value printed in a manufacturer datasheet
    status: ground
    source: concast-c93800
    where: Mechanical properties table, Elongation row
  - benchmark: brinell_hardness
    label: Brinell hardness, typical (500 kg load)
    value: 55
    unit: BHN
    scope: material
    conditions:
      load: 500 kg
      product: continuous-cast product sheet
    method: Typical value printed in a manufacturer datasheet (not a minimum)
    status: ground
    source: concast-c93800
    where: Mechanical properties table, Brinell hardness typical BHN row
  - benchmark: machinability_rating
    label: Machinability rating (CDA)
    value: 80
    unit: '-'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      basis: copper alloy UNS C93800 on the CDA rating table; rating scale not printed
    method: Rating printed in a manufacturer datasheet
    status: ground
    source: concast-c93800
    where: Machinability table, Machinability rating row
  - benchmark: yield_strength
    label: Yield strength, as cast (SAE J462, CA938)
    value: 97
    value_high: 110
    bound: range
    unit: MPa
    scope: material
    conditions:
      standard: SAE J462 (CA938) as printed on the ICAST sheet
      condition: as cast
      form: cast alloy, as printed
    method: Range printed in a standards-listing datasheet
    status: ground
    source: icast-sae-j462
    where: Mechanical Properties table, Yield Strength in Mpa row
  - benchmark: elongation
    label: Elongation, as cast (SAE J462, CA938)
    value: 5
    value_high: 10
    bound: range
    unit: '%'
    scope: material
    conditions:
      standard: SAE J462 (CA938) as printed on the ICAST sheet
      condition: as cast
      form: cast alloy, as printed
    method: Range printed in a standards-listing datasheet
    status: ground
    source: icast-sae-j462
    where: Mechanical Properties table, Elongation in % row
  - benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
    label: Tensile strength, minimum (centrifugal castings, ASTM B271)
    value: 207
    unit: MPa
    bound: lower
    scope: material
    conditions:
      standard: ASTM B271 (copper-base alloy centrifugal castings) as printed on the ICAST sheet
      form: centrifugal casting
    method: Minimum value printed in a standards-listing datasheet
    status: ground
    source: icast-astm-b271
    where: Mechanical Properties table, Tensile Strength in Mpa row
  - benchmark: yield_strength
    label: Yield strength, minimum (centrifugal castings, ASTM B271)
    value: 83
    unit: MPa
    bound: lower
    scope: material
    conditions:
      standard: ASTM B271 (copper-base alloy centrifugal castings) as printed on the ICAST sheet
      form: centrifugal casting
    method: Minimum value printed in a standards-listing datasheet
    status: ground
    source: icast-astm-b271
    where: Mechanical Properties table, Yield Strength in Mpa row
  - benchmark: elongation
    label: Elongation, minimum (centrifugal castings, ASTM B271)
    value: 15
    unit: '%'
    bound: lower
    scope: material
    conditions:
      standard: ASTM B271 (copper-base alloy centrifugal castings) as printed on the ICAST sheet
      form: centrifugal casting
    method: Minimum value printed in a standards-listing datasheet
    status: ground
    source: icast-astm-b271
    where: Mechanical Properties table, Elongation in % row
corrosion:
  - environment: Acid mine water and acid-resisting service
    headline: Concast lists C93800 for acid-resisting work and for pump parts in acid mine water, but gives no corrosion rate for either.
    effect: The Concast sheet names the alloy Anti-Acid Metal and lists acid-resisting applications, pump bodies and pump impellers for acid mine water among its typical uses. It gives no test medium, exposure time or corrosion rate for them.
    rating: unknown
    conditions:
      basis: manufacturer's list of typical uses only; no test data
      product: C93800 cast alloy
    source: concast-c93800
    where: Typical uses list (continuous cast) and Similar or equivalent specification, Other column
  - environment: Simulated seawater with sliding contact against alumina
    headline: In simulated seawater, active dissolution and corrosion-product films were the main corrosion mechanisms in a study of leaded tin bronze.
    effect: The Tribology International study names leaded tin bronze but not the UNS grade. Its abstract says active dissolution of the alloy and corrosion-product development were the dominant mechanisms, and that tribological contact removed most of the products, so freshly exposed metal dissolved. Pure wear was abrasive. Corrosion raised the friction coefficient under anodic potentials with contact.
    rating: moderate
    conditions:
      basis: judgement from the abstract; no corrosion rate read
      grade: leaded tin bronze, grade not named in the source
      test: simulated seawater, alumina counterbody, anodic potentials
    source: huttunen2019
    where: Abstract
  - environment: General corrosion in service
    headline: The ASM Alloy Digest abstract calls C93800 corrosion-resistant but prints no test data.
    effect: The ASM Alloy Digest abstract for C93800 gives good resistance to corrosion and lists bearings, bushings, pump impellers and corrosion-resistant castings as uses. The full datasheet is behind a paywall, and no values were read.
    rating: low
    conditions:
      basis: abstract only; full datasheet not opened
    source: asm-digest-cu464
    where: Abstract (page visible without sign-in)
risks:
  hazards:
    - text: PubChem aggregates reports for the element lead (CID 5352425). Signal word Danger. Of 2477 company reports, 2350 gave hazard codes and 127 reported that lead does not meet GHS hazard criteria. The alloy itself is not separately classified in any source read here, so this is the reference for its 13.00-16.00 % lead.
      ghs:
        - H360
        - H372
        - H410
        - H400
      source: pubchem-lead
      where: GHS Classification, aggregated information (CID 5352425)
    - text: Notified shares for lead's hazard codes include H360 (84.4%) May damage fertility or the unborn child; H372 (50.5%) Causes damage to organs through prolonged or repeated exposure; H410 (61.9%) Very toxic to aquatic life with long lasting effects; H400 (57.9%) Very toxic to aquatic life.
      ghs:
        - H360
        - H372
        - H410
        - H400
      source: pubchem-lead
      where: GHS Hazard Statements list, aggregated percentages
  failure_risks:
    - mode: Wear-induced corrosion under sliding contact in seawater
      trigger: Sliding contact against alumina in simulated seawater at anodic potentials (leaded tin bronze, grade not named)
      consequence: Active dissolution of the alloy and corrosion-product films were the dominant mechanisms; tribological contact removed the products and raised the friction coefficient.
      severity: moderate
      source: huttunen2019
      where: Abstract
    - mode: Cracking or strain during brazing and cooling
      trigger: Brazing, which the sheet says is performed within the hot-short range
      consequence: Concast says strain must be avoided during brazing and cooling. The sheet rates brazing as poor, so the sources give no brazed-joint data.
      severity: low
      source: concast-c93800
      where: Fabrication properties table and footnote
  side_effects: []
  handling:
    - text: Concast rates soldering as good, brazing as poor, and says oxyacetylene welding, gas-shielded arc welding and coated metal arc welding are not recommended for this grade.
      source: concast-c93800
      where: Fabrication properties table
    - text: 'Mind the hot-short range: strain must be avoided during brazing and cooling (Concast footnote).'
      source: concast-c93800
      where: Fabrication properties table, footnote
  mitigations: []
uses:
  - application: mechanisms
    device: Bearings and bushings
    example: Concast lists bearings for freight cars, general service bearings for moderate pressure, industrial centrifuges and low-friction or moderate-pressure bushings among the typical uses of the continuous-cast product.
    source: concast-c93800
    where: Typical uses list (continuous cast)
  - application: structures
    device: Acid-resisting pump bodies and impellers
    example: Concast lists acid-resisting applications and pump bodies and impellers for acid mine water among typical uses, and gives the alias Anti-Acid Metal.
    source: concast-c93800
    where: Typical uses list and Similar or equivalent specification, Other column
  - application: mechanisms
    device: Large ship bearings
    example: Concast lists large bearings for ships under the Marine heading of its typical uses.
    source: concast-c93800
    where: Similar or equivalent specification, Other column (Marine)
supply:
  - subject: Lead (lead content of C93800, 13.00-16.00 %)
    producers:
      - country: China
        share_percent: 42.2
        year: 2025
      - country: Australia
        share_percent: 10.7
        year: 2025
      - country: Peru
        share_percent: 6.4
        year: 2025
      - country: United States
        share_percent: 6.2
        year: 2025
    critical_lists:
      - list: U.S. Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals (lead added in 2025; USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Lead)
        listed: true
    recycling: 'USGS: an estimated 1 million tons of secondary lead was produced in 2025.'
    substitutes:
      - 'USGS: substitution by plastics has reduced the use of lead in cable covering and cans, and steel and zinc are common substitutes for lead in wheel weights.'
    source: usgs-mcs2026-lead
    where: World Mine Production table, 2025e (world total 4,500 thousand t, rounded; shares calculated by Space Mushroom from China 1,900, Australia 480, Peru 290 and United States 280); Recycling; Substitutes; Events, Trends and Issues (critical list)
  - subject: Tin (tin content of C93800, 6.30-7.50 %)
    producers:
      - country: China
        share_percent: 24.5
        year: 2025
      - country: Indonesia
        share_percent: 21
        year: 2025
      - country: Peru
        share_percent: 11.4
        year: 2025
      - country: Brazil
        share_percent: 9.7
        year: 2025
      - country: Congo (Kinshasa)
        share_percent: 9.3
        year: 2025
    recycling: 'USGS: about 17,000 tons of tin from old and new scrap was recycled in 2025.'
    substitutes:
      - 'USGS: aluminum, glass, paper, plastic and tin-free steel substitute for tin in cans and containers; alternative copper-base alloys are listed as substitutes in other uses.'
    source: usgs-mcs2026-tin
    where: World Mine Production table, 2025e (world total 290,000 t, rounded; shares calculated by Space Mushroom from China 71,000, Indonesia 61,000, Peru 33,000, Brazil 28,000 and Congo (Kinshasa) 27,000); Recycling; Substitutes
  - subject: Copper (matrix, 75.00-79.00 %)
    producers:
      - country: Chile
        share_percent: 23
        year: 2025
      - country: Congo (Kinshasa)
        share_percent: 13.9
        year: 2025
      - country: Peru
        share_percent: 11.7
        year: 2025
      - country: China
        share_percent: 7.8
        year: 2025
      - country: Russia
        share_percent: 5.7
        year: 2025
    critical_lists:
      - list: U.S. Final 2025 List of Critical Minerals (copper added in 2025; USGS Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026)
        listed: true
    source: usgs-mcs2026-copper
    where: World Mine and Refinery Production table, mine production 2025e (world total 23,000 thousand t; shares calculated by Space Mushroom from Chile 5,300, Congo (Kinshasa) 3,200, Peru 2,700, China 1,800 and Russia 1,300); critical list paragraph
documents:
  - title: 'Wieland Concast: C93800 spec sheet, continuous cast, high-leaded tin bronze (PDF)'
    type: datasheet
    url: https://www.concast.com/files/C93800.pdf
    year: 2026
  - title: 'ICAST Alloys: SAE J462 CA938 (cast copper alloys) data sheet (PDF)'
    type: datasheet
    url: https://www.icastllp.com/material_db_pdf/SAE%20J462%20CA938.pdf
  - title: 'ICAST Alloys: ASTM B271 High-Lead Tin Bronze UNS C93800 data sheet (PDF)'
    type: datasheet
    url: https://mail.icastllp.com/material_db_pdf/ASTM%20B271%20High-Lead%20Tin%20Bronze%20UNS%20C93800.pdf
  - title: 'Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Lead'
    type: report
    url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-lead.pdf
    year: 2026
  - title: 'Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Tin'
    type: report
    url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-tin.pdf
    year: 2026
  - title: 'Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026: Copper'
    type: report
    url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-copper.pdf
    year: 2026
  - title: 'PubChem compound record: Lead (CID 5352425), aggregated GHS information'
    type: database
    url: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/rest/pug_view/data/compound/5352425/JSON
    year: 2026
  - title: Huttunen-Saarivirta et al., Behaviour of leaded tin bronze in simulated seawater, Tribology International 129 (2019) 257-271
    type: paper
    url: https://cris.vtt.fi/en/publications/behaviour-of-leaded-tin-bronze-in-simulated-seawater-in-the-absen
    year: 2019
  - title: 'ASM Alloy Digest: Copper Alloy No. C93800, High Leaded Tin Bronze (Cu-464, 1983)'
    type: datasheet
    url: https://dl.asminternational.org/alloy-digest/article/32/10/Cu-464/4765/COPPER-ALLOY-No-C93800High-Leaded-Tin-Bronze
    year: 1983
gaps:
  - Coefficient of thermal expansion for C93800 is printed as 10.3 · 10-6 per °F and 17.8 · 10-6 per °C in exponent form; left out under the exponent rule. The value is in the Concast sheet and can be added if the form is changed.
  - 'Full chemical composition: the Concast table is garbled for the elements after tin, so only copper, lead and tin were taken from it. The other element limits (Zn, Fe, Ni, P, Al, Sb, Si, S) come from the ICAST SAE J462 chemistry table and were not cross-checked against a second source.'
  - No EN, DIN or JIS number was printed on any source read for this grade, so none is listed.
  - Tin's status on the 2025 U.S. critical-minerals list and on the EU critical raw materials list was not found in the sources read.
  - EU critical raw materials list status for lead and copper was not read; only the U.S. list is recorded.
  - Shares in supply are calculated by Space Mushroom from the USGS mine-production tables, which are rounded; the world totals are also rounded.
  - Yield and elongation are minimums or ranges from standards and datasheets, not measured results; no tensile test on a sample of this grade was read.
  - Thermal conductivity unit is printed as W/m, without the kelvin term; the value is recorded with that printed unit.
  - Electrical and thermal properties are from the manufacturer's grade-level table; no process or temper is stated for them.
  - No quantitative corrosion rate for C93800 in seawater, acid mine water or any specific acid was found. The Tribology International abstract gives wear-corrosion percentages that were not checked against the full text, so they are not recorded.
  - The Tribology International study names leaded tin bronze, not the UNS grade, and its results are not attributed to C93800.
  - The ASM Alloy Digest datasheet is behind a paywall; only its abstract was read, with no property values.
  - Hazard data are for the element lead from PubChem (CID 5352425). No safety data sheet for the alloy was read, and the lead percentages are notifications for the element, not for the bronze.
  - 'No space data were found: no outgassing, radiation, thermal-vacuum, atomic-oxygen or flight result for C93800.'
  - No freely licensed photograph or drawing of C93800 was opened, so the profile has no media.
  - Recycling and substitute statements for lead and tin come from the USGS text only; no industry source was read.
  - 'Non-canonical property names used: electrical_conductivity, brinell_hardness and machinability_rating; these are not in property-canon.yaml.'
sources:
  concast-c93800:
    title: 'Wieland Concast: C93800 Alloy, C938 High leaded tin bronze (product page with physical properties, mechanical properties and typical uses)'
    id: UNS C93800; ASTM B505/B505M; SAE J461, J462, SAE 67; QQ-C-390 E6; QQ-B-1005 Comp 19; MIL-B-11553 Comp 19; Anti-Acid Metal
    url: https://www.concast.com/c93800.php
    year: 2026
    kind: datasheet
    license: Manufacturer product page (cited, not reproduced)
  icast-sae-j462:
    title: 'ICAST Alloys LLP: SAE J462 CA938 (cast copper alloy chemistry and as-cast mechanical properties, cross-reference table)'
    id: SAE J462 CA938; UNS C93800; ASME SB-505 C93800
    url: https://www.icastllp.com/material_db_pdf/SAE%20J462%20CA938.pdf
    kind: datasheet
    license: Supplier data sheet (cited, not reproduced); disclaimer on the sheet
  icast-astm-b271:
    title: 'ICAST Alloys LLP: ASTM B271 High-Lead Tin Bronze UNS C93800 (centrifugal castings)'
    id: ASTM B271; UNS C93800; CA938 (SAE)
    url: https://mail.icastllp.com/material_db_pdf/ASTM%20B271%20High-Lead%20Tin%20Bronze%20UNS%20C93800.pdf
    kind: datasheet
    license: Supplier data sheet (cited, not reproduced); disclaimer on the sheet
  usgs-mcs2026-lead:
    title: Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Lead
    id: USGS MCS 2026, February 2026
    url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-lead.pdf
    year: 2026
    kind: report
    license: public domain (USGS)
  usgs-mcs2026-tin:
    title: Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Tin
    id: USGS MCS 2026, February 2026
    url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-tin.pdf
    year: 2026
    kind: report
    license: public domain (USGS)
  usgs-mcs2026-copper:
    title: Mineral Commodity Summaries 2026, Copper
    id: USGS MCS 2026, February 2026
    url: https://pubs.usgs.gov/periodicals/mcs2026/mcs2026-copper.pdf
    year: 2026
    kind: report
    license: public domain (USGS)
  pubchem-lead:
    title: 'PubChem compound record: Lead (CID 5352425), aggregated GHS classification'
    id: CID 5352425; CAS 7439-92-1
    url: https://pubchem.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/rest/pug_view/data/compound/5352425/JSON
    year: 2026
    kind: database
    license: public domain (NCBI)
  huttunen2019:
    title: 'Behaviour of leaded tin bronze in simulated seawater in the absence and presence of tribological contact with alumina counterbody: Corrosion, wear and tribocorrosion (Huttunen-Saarivirta et al., Tribology International 129, 257-271)'
    id: doi:10.1016/j.triboint.2018.08.021
    url: https://cris.vtt.fi/en/publications/behaviour-of-leaded-tin-bronze-in-simulated-seawater-in-the-absen
    year: 2019
    kind: paper
    license: abstract read via VTT research portal (cited, not reproduced)
  asm-digest-cu464:
    title: 'ASM Alloy Digest: Copper Alloy No. C93800, High Leaded Tin Bronze (Cu-464)'
    id: ASM Alloy Digest, 1 October 1983, Vol. 32, Issue 10
    url: https://dl.asminternational.org/alloy-digest/article/32/10/Cu-464/4765/COPPER-ALLOY-No-C93800High-Leaded-Tin-Bronze
    year: 1983
    kind: handbook
    license: abstract only, paywalled (cited, not reproduced)
license: CC-BY-4.0
updated: '2026-11-01'
review:
  status: draft
  method: assistant
  checked_values: 19
  unreachable: 2
  caveats: 5
  note: 'Values read by an AI assistant on 2026-11-01 from the Concast page and PDF, the two ICAST datasheets, and the USGS 2026 lead, tin and copper summaries. Unreachable in full: the ASM Alloy Digest (abstract only) and the Tribology International full text. Caveats: all strengths are minimums or ranges from standards and datasheets; the thermal conductivity unit is printed without its kelvin term; the corrosion rating for the seawater study is a judgement from the abstract; supply shares are calculated from rounded USGS tables.'
story:
  recipe:
    line: C93800 is a cast copper-tin-lead alloy, sold as high-leaded tin bronze. Its composition ranges are given in the ICAST SAE J462 and Concast tables. The grade is made by continuous casting to ASTM B505 or by centrifugal casting to ASTM B271, as the two datasheets show.
    parts:
      - name: Copper
        symbol: Cu
        share: 75.00-79.00 %
        role: The matrix of the bronze and the largest element by mass.
      - name: Lead
        symbol: Pb
        share: 13.00-16.00 %
        role: Gives the alloy free cutting and lubricity, per the Concast sheet.
      - name: Tin
        symbol: Sn
        share: 6.30-7.50 %
        role: The tin in the bronze alongside copper; the composition table gives the range.
  risk_groups:
    - title: For people
      level: 1
      verdict: Lead content matters
      lead: The sources read for this grade give no safety data sheet for the alloy. The lead in it is classified as a reproductive toxicant in the PubChem summary for the element.
      points:
        - label: The alloy
          line: No safety data sheet for C93800 was read. The lead it contains, 13.00-16.00 %, is the reason to treat dust and fume from cutting or grinding with care.
        - label: The element lead
          line: PubChem gives a Danger signal word for lead, with H360 (84.4%) for harm to fertility or the unborn child and H372 (50.5%) for organ damage after repeated exposure.
    - title: If it fails
      lead: The failure routes in the sources are wear-induced corrosion in seawater and strain during brazing.
      points:
        - label: Sliding in seawater
          line: A study of leaded tin bronze in simulated seawater found that active dissolution of the alloy and corrosion-product films were the dominant mechanisms, and that sliding contact removed most of the products.
        - label: Brazing
          line: Concast rates brazing as poor, since it is done within the hot-short range, and says strain must be avoided during brazing and cooling.
    - title: Handling and storage
      points:
        - label: Joining
          line: Soldering is rated good. Oxyacetylene, gas-shielded arc and coated metal arc welding are not recommended for this grade.
        - label: Scrap
          line: USGS reports about 17,000 tons of tin recycled from scrap in 2025, and about 1 million tons of secondary lead produced in 2025.
  why: 'C93800 is a leaded tin bronze for bearings. The lead gives free cutting and lubricity, so the alloy keeps running when the lubricating film is lost, according to Concast. Its density is 9.25 g/cm3 at 20 °C, and its strength is modest: the ASTM B505 minimum is 172 MPa tensile strength and 110 MPa yield strength. The grade is chosen for bearings and pump parts in acid service, not for load-carrying structure.'
  uses:
    - where: Bearings and bushings
      line: Concast lists bearings for freight cars, general service bearings for moderate pressure, industrial centrifuges and low-friction bushings as typical uses. The ASM Alloy Digest abstract lists bearings and bushings too.
    - where: Acid-resisting pump parts
      line: Concast lists pump bodies and pump impellers for acid mine water, and acid-resisting applications, among its typical uses. It gives the alias Anti-Acid Metal.
    - where: Ship bearings
      line: Concast lists large bearings for ships under its marine use, with no strength or corrosion data for that service.
  can_do:
    - label: Bearing with lubrication at risk
      line: The lead gives the alloy lubricity and free cutting, per Concast. No load-rating test was read for this grade.
    - label: Acid service
      line: Concast lists acid-resisting uses and pump parts for acid mine water, but gives no corrosion rate for either.
    - label: Moderate-pressure strength
      benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
      value: 172 MPa
      line: The ASTM B505 minimum is 172 MPa tensile strength and 110 MPa yield strength for the continuous-cast product.
    - label: Centrifugal castings
      benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
      value: 207 MPa
      line: ASTM B271 centrifugal castings are listed at 207 MPa minimum tensile strength, 83 MPa minimum yield strength and 15 % minimum elongation.
  compare: Against the other bronzes and alloys in this collection, C93800 is a bearing grade with low strength. Its ASTM B505 minimum tensile strength is 172 MPa and its typical hardness is 55 BHN. The centrifugal ASTM B271 minimum is higher at 207 MPa tensile, and the ICAST as-cast range for SAE J462 gives 97 to 110 MPa yield, so the casting route changes the numbers. The table compares the three rows of the strength and density that the sources give.
  compare_rows:
    - label: Density
      benchmark: density
    - label: Minimum tensile strength
      benchmark: ultimate_tensile_strength
    - label: Minimum yield strength
      benchmark: yield_strength
  handling:
    - 'Check which casting route the part is made by: continuous cast (ASTM B505) and centrifugal cast (ASTM B271) have different minimums.'
    - Avoid strain during brazing and cooling, since brazing is in the hot-short range (Concast).
    - 'Treat dust and fume from cutting as lead exposure: the alloy is 13.00-16.00 % lead.'
  good_for:
    - Bearings where lubrication may fail, because the lead gives lubricity and free cutting (Concast).
    - Pump parts in acid mine water and other acid-resisting service, according to Concast's list of typical uses.
  watch_out:
    - 'Modest strength: 172 MPa minimum tensile strength under ASTM B505 and 55 BHN typical hardness.'
    - 'Lead content: 13.00-16.00 % lead, and the element is classified as a reproductive toxicant by PubChem.'
    - No corrosion rate was found for seawater or acid service, only the qualitative findings above.
  verdict: C93800 is a leaded tin bronze for bearings and acid-resisting pump parts, with 9.25 g/cm3 density and 172 MPa minimum tensile strength under ASTM B505. Lead content and a missing corrosion rate are the main limits, and no space data were found.
