Ed Steinkirchner Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 well i know the whole "copper doesn't absorb carbon like iron" thing, but if one was to take copper and encase it in a container like iron, but instead of carbon and carbonates, why couldn't one use either a tin ore or an amount of tin (pewter maybe) in the container, along with a small amount of carbon(to consume the O2)? wouldn't the surface turn to a hard bronze and the center stay copper? i don't know why i was thinking about this, there was a possible application, but i forget waht it was. an 18 year old shouldn't have this bad of a memory :wacko: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 I expect you will have an effect like sweating copper plumbing. Why not just make cast bronze? Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ed Steinkirchner Posted February 3, 2010 Author Share Posted February 3, 2010 well i thought of that i'm sure, but i don't know why i thought of this, there was a reason, but i can't for the life of me remember what it was. ????? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Timothy Miller Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Get some case hardening compound and try it. Let us see the results I am curious. The only way I know of to harden copper is to hammer it to work harden it. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
pkrankow Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Copper can be hardened by deep oxidizing too, but it becomes quite brittle and there is no way to make it softer again. Usually this type of hardening comes up regarding stock that is ruined because it has been though a building fire. Phil Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ThomasPowers Posted February 3, 2010 Share Posted February 3, 2010 Actually "colouring copper" by using zinc ores in contact with copper was quite well know and discussed by Biringuccio in "Pirotechnia" back in 1540. However except for use for the colouring effects the cost of doing such things is generally more than the cost of just using the alloy in the first place. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Recommended Posts
Join the conversation
You can post now and register later. If you have an account, sign in now to post with your account.