The Misconception of Bronze: Understanding Its Nature and Composition

Greg, Irsquo;m sure you know that that statue over there is made of bronze and the medal you won in junior high track is also made of bronze. But, to my knowledge, there is only one meaning related to the word bronze: skin color. For some reason—I could speculate, but thatrsquo;s for another time—referring to someone as being bronze-skinned is used to describe a muscular, very tan, and usually male person. This is possibly because of Muscle Beach and other places like it, or because of the many movies where the hero was shirtless and nearly always bronze-skinned. Now here Irsquo;ve gone and speculated when I said I wasnrsquo;t going to do that! But the last one is the best example.

What is Bronze?

Watch out! Bronze is not a metal; it is an alloy! In other words, bronze is a solid mixture of two or more elements, in the case of other alloys, metals, with different compositions or composition ranges. This means bronze is not a pure substance.

The Pure Substances of Bronze

The pure substances bronze is made of are metals: copper and tin. Sometimes, other metals are added when specific properties are sought.

Bronze in Today's World

Bronze in today's world is a generic term for many metal alloys that contain a high copper content, generally over 85%. However, there are exceptions. Metallic mixtures or alloys display common properties of metals, such as the ability to conduct electricity and to form a crystalline structure in the solid state that shares outer shell electrons in a metallic bond that facilitates conductivity or electricity.

Strictly speaking, elements in the periodic table are separated into metals, non-metals, and metalloids based on their atomic structure and behavior. In practical terms, bronze as well as all alloys are referred to as metals as in the “Metals Handbook” on my desk that has data mostly on alloys.

Diversity in Bronze Alloys

There are many different bronze alloys. But typically, modern bronze is 88% copper and 12% tin. Each alloy has unique properties, ideal for various applications ranging from artistic sculptures to engineering components.

For instance, the bronze used in sculptures is often chosen for its excellent wear resistance, aesthetic appeal, and durability. At the same time, bronze alloys used in engineering applications, such as bearings and gears, are selected for their strength, corrosion resistance, and low friction properties.

In summary, the term bronze often leads to confusion due to its colloquial use in describing skin color. However, in the realm of materials science, it is an alloy consisting of copper and tin, with variations used in different industries for specific applications.