Precious Metal BAg-3
UNS P07501 · GB BAg50CuZnCdNi
BAg-3 is a 50 % silver, nickel-bearing cadmium brazing filler (UNS P07501, BAg50CuZnCdNi) in which the nickel addition improves wetting and corrosion resistance on stainless steel and other hard-to-wet base metals.
Reference datasheet — BAg-3 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.
BAg-3 tempers and conditions
BAg-3 is supplied in one standard condition, As Brazed.
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways BAg-3 is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
FCR | Flux-Coated Rod | Supply form |
PREFORM | Stamped rings, washers and formed shapes | Supply form |
ROD | Straight length bare rod | Supply form |
STRIP | Strip / Foil | Supply form |
WIREDefault | Drawn wire / coil, bare filler | Supply form |
POWDER | Powder / Paste | Printing process |
What is BAg-3?
BAg-3 is a 50 % silver, nickel-bearing cadmium brazing filler (UNS P07501, BAg50CuZnCdNi) in which the nickel addition improves wetting and corrosion resistance on stainless steel and other hard-to-wet base metals. It is chosen over BAg-1a for stainless and carbide joints and is supplied as wire, rod, flux-coated rod, strip, preforms and powder. As-brazed joints reach 480 MPa tensile with 15 % elongation and 120 HB, the highest strength of the common cadmium BAg alloys, at the cost of reduced ductility (formability score 70). Cadmium content restricts its use where RoHS compliance is required. BAg-3 has a density of 9.7 g/cm³ (0.35 lb/in³), lighter than 78% of precious metal grades. It melts at 632°C (1,170 °F). BAg-3 has a yield strength of 280 MPa (40.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 415 MPa (60.2 ksi) — stronger than 88% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 20% and the elastic modulus is 84 GPa (12.2 Msi).
What is BAg-3 used for?
- stainless steel brazing
- tungsten carbide tooling
- food/medical equipment fabrication
Advantages
- High strength — 280 MPa (40.6 ksi), better than 88% of precious metal grades
- Low embodied carbon — 60 kg CO₂/kg, better than 82% of precious metal grades
Limitations
- Limited service temperature — 200°C (392 °F), worse than 89% of precious metal grades
- Needs corrosion protection — 62/100, worse than 83% of precious metal grades
- Limited formability — 70/100, worse than 78% of precious metal grades
- Limited ductility — 20%, worse than 77% of precious metal grades
- Hard to polish — 70/100, worse than 76% of precious metal grades
BAg-3 properties
Typical room-temperature values; bars are the position among precious metal grades.
Physical3
BAg-3 has a density of 9.7 g/cm³ (0.35 lb/in³), lighter than 78% of precious metal grades. It melts at 632°C (1,170 °F).
Mechanical9
BAg-3 has a yield strength of 280 MPa (40.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 415 MPa (60.2 ksi) — stronger than 88% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 20% and the elastic modulus is 84 GPa (12.2 Msi).
Thermal5
BAg-3 is rated for continuous service to 200°C (392 °F). It conducts heat at 60 W/m·K (34.7 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 72% of precious metal grades. Thermal expansion is 19 µm/m·K (10.6 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
BAg-3 conducts electricity at 17 % IACS, worse than 56% of precious metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental2
Corrosion resistance is good (62/100), worse than 83% of precious metal grades.
Sustainability3
Producing a kilogram of BAg-3 takes about 900 MJ of energy and emits 60 kg of CO₂ — less than 80% of precious metal grades. Typical recycled content is 60%.
Manufacturability4
BAg-3's machinability is fair (45/100, better than 59% of precious metal grades); formability very good (70/100).
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 precious metal family
Yield strength against density for every precious metal grade FabDigit runs. BAg-3 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with BAg-3
Is BAg-3 easy to machine?
Rarely machined; the alloy is gummy — use sharp HSS tools, generous rake and light feeds if trimming solidified fillets.
Can BAg-3 be welded?
Not an arc-weld alloy — it is the filler itself: braze at 690–815 °C with a fluoride/borate flux (FB3-A) and 0.05–0.13 mm joint clearance; keep the torch off the filler and heat the base metal.
Can BAg-3 be formed, bent or molded?
Readily drawn to wire and rolled to thin strip/foil; anneal between passes since the Cd-Zn alloy work hardens quickly.
BAg-3 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 |
|---|---|---|
| AgAWS A5.8/A5.8M BAg-3 | 49 – 51 | 50 |
| Cu | 14.5 – 16.5 | 15.5 |
| Cdtoxic — fume extraction mandatory; RoHS/REACH restricted | 15 – 17 | 16 |
| Niimproves wetting of stainless and carbide | 2.5 – 3.5 | 3 |
| Other (total)total of all other elements | ≤ 0.15 | |
| Zn | ≥ 13.5 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on BAg-3?
Remove all flux residue with hot water or citric acid soak to avoid corrosive attack; joints can be plated or passivated, but never grind or heat Cd-bearing filler without local exhaust ventilation.
Equivalent designations
Standards and trade names that resolve to Precious Metal BAg-3 in FabDigit's catalog. Equivalence is nominal — check the exact specification when certification matters.
- UNS
- P07501
- GB (China)
- BAg50CuZnCdNi
- Also called
- AWS BAg-3
How much does BAg-3 cost?
BAg-3 is a high-cost precious metal ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
BAg-3 — frequently asked
What is BAg-3 used for?
BAg-3 is typically used for stainless steel brazing, tungsten carbide tooling and food/medical equipment fabrication. In short: nickel-bearing for stainless; strongest common cadmium BAg; best wetting on carbide.
What is the yield strength of BAg-3?
BAg-3 has a typical yield strength of 280 MPa (40.6 ksi) and a tensile strength of 415 MPa (60.2 ksi) — stronger than 88% of precious metal grades.
Is BAg-3 easy to machine?
Reasonably — machinability is rated fair (45/100, better than 59% of precious metal grades). Rarely machined; the alloy is gummy — use sharp HSS tools, generous rake and light feeds if trimming solidified fillets.
Can BAg-3 be welded?
Not an arc-weld alloy — it is the filler itself: braze at 690–815 °C with a fluoride/borate flux (FB3-A) and 0.05–0.13 mm joint clearance; keep the torch off the filler and heat the base metal.
What surface finishes work on BAg-3?
Remove all flux residue with hot water or citric acid soak to avoid corrosive attack; joints can be plated or passivated, but never grind or heat Cd-bearing filler without local exhaust ventilation.
Can BAg-3 be formed, bent or molded?
Readily drawn to wire and rolled to thin strip/foil; anneal between passes since the Cd-Zn alloy work hardens quickly.
What is the maximum service temperature of BAg-3?
BAg-3 is rated for continuous use to about 200°C (392 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does BAg-3 cost?
BAg-3 is a high-cost precious metal ($$$$), 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
- AWS A5.8/A5.8M — Specification for Filler Metals for Brazing and Braze Welding — American Welding Society (2019)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 6 — Welding, Brazing and Soldering (brazing filler metal data) — ASM International (1993)
- AWS Brazing Handbook, 5th ed. — American Welding Society (2007)
- GB/T 10046 (2018)
- Silver brazing alloy technical data (BAg series) — Lucas-Milhaupt / Harris Products Group (2023)
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.