copper-base alloy
Noun A copper-base alloy is any metallic substance composed of two or more elements, where copper is the primary constituent by weight or volume. These alloys are created to enhance properties such as strength, corrosion resistance, machinability, or color compared to pure copper.
The term is used to categorize a broad family of alloys where copper is the principal metal. It is a technical term common in materials science, engineering, and metallurgy. * Brass is a common copper-base alloy containing zinc. * The statue was cast from a durable copper-base alloy. * Bronze, a copper-base alloy traditionally made with tin, was crucial to ancient civilizations.
- As a Classifier: The term is often used to classify and contrast materials. For example, one might discuss the advantages of copper-base alloys over iron-base alloys (steels) for certain applications.
- In Specifications: It appears in technical documents and material specifications to indicate the general family of a material before listing its specific composition.
- Alloy (n): A broader term for any mixture of metals.
- Brass (n): A specific copper-base alloy with zinc as the main additive.
- Bronze (n): A specific copper-base alloy historically with tin, but now often with other elements like aluminum or silicon.
- Cupronickel (n): A copper-base alloy containing nickel, often used in marine applications and coins.
- Copper alloy
- Non-ferrous alloy (This is a broader category that includes copper-base alloys but also others like aluminum alloys.)
The term copper-base alloy has a single, specific technical meaning. It does not have idiomatic or figurative uses. Its meaning is directly tied to its definition in metallurgy.
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any alloy whose principal component is copper