We are a business that offers a wide range of tubing services. Having spent years in the industry, we have become one of the top tube experts in the country. Thanks to the likes of tube expansion, we can create utensils for all kinds of specifications. This can even include prototype products for new applications, so trust us for design advice and more.

One of the metals we work with here is brass. This particular material is one of the most interesting but has surprisingly little use. It has nearly the same valuable attributes as other well known non-ferrous metals. However, it lacks the attention they receive. There tends to be less info about it too. A lot of people only acknowledge brass as a metal for creating musical instruments. They lack understanding of its industrial, mechanical, and electrical uses. We believe everyone should learn more about the metal so they can maximise its potential.

Brass corroding

Something we definitely need to talk about is how brass corrodes. This may be something you want to note if you are choosing tubing and need tube expansion. Brass’ corrosion resistance is well known in the metallurgy world. Due to this, it is frequently used for projects where there is exposure to moisture and water. It is the same when there are other corrosive substances present. The corrosion resistance is only capable of so much though. It is easy for the metal to tarnish on its exterior.

If you are curious as to how tarnish forms, you should start by realising that it is the initial stage of corrosion. This is for non-ferrous metals. You will know if your brass object succumbs to tarnishing if the original sheen begins hazing up. If you permit the misty, dull appearance to sit for long enough, it will thicken up eventually. At some point, removing it to show off the shiny exterior beneath shall become nearly impossible.

The difference between copper and brass corrosion

With tarnish in copper, it normally transforms into a copper dioxide layer almost straight away when you expose it to air. As time passes, the dioxide corrodes everything further and gives more oxygen to create copper oxide. If you go without maintaining the metal for years, the oxide becomes copper carbonate. This acts as the metal’s shield from the elements. Because of that, it can endure for a very long time.

Brass does not corrode so rapidly. The tarnish on the exterior could linger, not growing thicker for a very long time. This is great news for the metal. But, the tarnish still isn’t nice to look at. Fortunately, it is simple enough to clean up if you tackle it quickly. As long as you understand what causes brass to tarnish, dealing with it won’t be difficult.

Come to us for the best tube expansion services

At Multiform Tubes Engineering Ltd, the expansion work we do enables us to open the tube end. We can do it using a multitude of methods. The result is a tube that will have a leak proof, snug fit onto other tubes or a decorative end to suit your needs.

Feel free to get in touch with us if you would like to know more about the tube expansion service. We can provide it for different kinds of brass as well as many other metals.