Copper Alloy C23400
UNS C23400
C23400 is a wrought red brass in the C20000–C49999 family, close in composition to C23000 and stocked as strip, sheet, wire and rod in tempers from O61 through H10.
Reference datasheet — C23400 is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the H02 condition
C23400 tempers and conditions
C23400 is supplied in 8 conditions, soft to hard. H02 is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 8 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
Annealed | Pick for deep drawing, spinning and severe forming where maximum ductility is needed. | 95 | 290 | 48 | 58 HB | — |
Quarter hard | Light temper for parts that still need moderate bending/forming after a modest strength gain. | 235 | 310 | 28 | 85 HB | — |
H02Default Half hard | The general-purpose stocked temper: good strength with enough ductility for 90° bends and light forming. | 285 | 355 | 14 | 105 HB | — |
Three-quarter hard | Use when H02 strength is marginal but some bending across the grain is still required. | 325 | 390 | 10 | 118 HB | — |
Full hard | Standard hard temper for flat stampings, washers and blanked hardware needing stiffness and edge quality. | 370 | 430 | 6 | 132 HB | — |
Extra hard | Choose for flat springs and clips where forming is limited to gentle radii along the grain. | 425 | 485 | 4 | 145 HB | — |
Spring hard | Spring temper for contacts, retainers and shims requiring high elastic limit; forming must be minimal. | 465 | 525 | 3 | 155 HB | — |
Extra spring hard | Maximum cold-worked strength; only for flat blanked spring parts with essentially no forming. | 500 | 565 | 3 | 165 HB | — |
What is C23400?
C23400 is a wrought red brass in the C20000–C49999 family, close in composition to C23000 and stocked as strip, sheet, wire and rod in tempers from O61 through H10. Engineers choose it for hardware and plumbing parts that need ductility, corrosion resistance and a red-gold colour; the default temper gives 285 MPa yield, 355 MPa tensile and 14 % elongation at 105 HB (62 HRB). It machines at only about 30 % of AISI 1212 and is limited to 200 °C service, and cold-worked parts need stress relief to avoid ammonia season cracking. Use C36000 where turning volume dominates. C23400 has a density of 8.72 g/cm³ (0.315 lb/in³), lighter than 54% of copper alloy grades. It melts at 990°C (1,814 °F). C23400 has a yield strength of 285 MPa (41.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 355 MPa (51.5 ksi) — stronger than 60% of copper alloy grades. Elongation at break is 14% and the elastic modulus is 112 GPa (16.2 Msi).
What is C23400 used for?
- hardware
- plumbing fittings
- decorative trim
- stamped components
Advantages
- Polishes to a fine finish — 85/100, better than 92% of copper alloy grades
C23400 properties
Typical room-temperature values for C23400-H02; bars are the position among copper alloy grades.
Physical3
C23400 has a density of 8.72 g/cm³ (0.315 lb/in³), lighter than 54% of copper alloy grades. It melts at 990°C (1,814 °F).
Mechanical13
C23400 has a yield strength of 285 MPa (41.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 355 MPa (51.5 ksi) — stronger than 60% of copper alloy grades. Elongation at break is 14% and the elastic modulus is 112 GPa (16.2 Msi).
Thermal6
C23400 is rated for continuous service to 200°C (392 °F). It conducts heat at 150 W/m·K (86.7 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 72% of copper alloy grades. Thermal expansion is 19.1 µm/m·K (10.6 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
C23400 conducts electricity at 34 % IACS, better than 72% of copper alloy grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (58/100), worse than 76% of copper alloy grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of C23400 takes about 57 MJ of energy and emits 3.5 kg of CO₂ — less than 52% of copper alloy grades. Typical recycled content is 40%.
Manufacturability7
C23400's machinability is poor (32/100, worse than 57% of copper alloy grades); weldability fair (45/100); formability good (60/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the copper alloy family
Yield strength against density for every copper alloy grade FabDigit runs. C23400 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with C23400
Is C23400 easy to machine?
Gummy, long-chipping alloy (~30% of AISI 1212) — use sharp positive-rake tools, high speed, light feed and flood coolant; not a substitute for C36000 in screw-machine work.
Can C23400 be welded?
Solders and brazes superbly; resistance and oxyacetylene welding are usable, but gas-shielded arc welding is only fair due to zinc fume and porosity.
Can C23400 be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent deep-drawing and spinning in O61/H01; interstage anneal at 425–650 °C, and stress-relieve cold-worked parts at 250–300 °C to prevent ammonia season cracking.
C23400 chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| CuAg may be counted as Cu | 81 – 84 | 82.5 |
| Pbimpurity limit | ≤ 0.05 | |
| Feimpurity limit | ≤ 0.05 | |
| Znremainder, nominally ~17.5% | balance |
What surface finishes work on C23400?
Buffs to a bright red-gold; commonly clear-lacquered, benzotriazole-passivated, chemically antiqued, or nickel/chrome/gold plated. Anodizing does not apply.
Surface treatments FabDigit runs on copper alloy parts — pick them in the quote configurator or call them out on the drawing. Each links to its datasheet in the surface-finish library (thickness, specs, call-out, material verdicts).
How much does C23400 cost?
C23400 is a high-cost copper alloy ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
C23400 — frequently asked
What is C23400 used for?
C23400 is typically used for hardware, plumbing fittings, decorative trim and stamped components. In short: red-gold hardware brass; formable, not free-cutting; direct C23000 substitute.
What is the yield strength of C23400?
C23400 has a typical yield strength of 285 MPa (41.3 ksi) and a tensile strength of 355 MPa (51.5 ksi) — stronger than 60% of copper alloy grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 8 listed tempers.
Is C23400 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (32/100, worse than 57% of copper alloy grades). Gummy, long-chipping alloy (~30% of AISI 1212) — use sharp positive-rake tools, high speed, light feed and flood coolant; not a substitute for C36000 in screw-machine work.
Can C23400 be welded?
With care — weldability is rated fair (45/100). Solders and brazes superbly; resistance and oxyacetylene welding are usable, but gas-shielded arc welding is only fair due to zinc fume and porosity.
What surface finishes work on C23400?
Buffs to a bright red-gold; commonly clear-lacquered, benzotriazole-passivated, chemically antiqued, or nickel/chrome/gold plated. Anodizing does not apply.
Can C23400 be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent deep-drawing and spinning in O61/H01; interstage anneal at 425–650 °C, and stress-relieve cold-worked parts at 250–300 °C to prevent ammonia season cracking.
What is the maximum service temperature of C23400?
C23400 is rated for continuous use to about 200°C (392 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between C23400-H02 and C23400-H10?
H02 is the default condition — the general-purpose stocked temper: good strength with enough ductility for 90° bends and light forming. H10: maximum cold-worked strength; only for flat blanked spring parts with essentially no forming. Yield strength is 285 MPa in H02 versus 500 MPa in H10.
How much does C23400 cost?
C23400 is a high-cost copper alloy ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- ASTM B36/B36M — Brass Plate, Sheet, Strip and Rolled Bar — ASTM International (2018)
- ASTM B587 — Welded Brass Tube — ASTM International (2020)
- Copper Alloy Data (UNS C23400 / red brass family) — Copper Development Association (copper.org) (2023)
- ASM Handbook Vol.2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys — ASM International (1990)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.