Materials / Compare
Brass C260 vs. Stainless 303
Compare Brass C260 vs. Stainless 303 strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.
| Try it on a partA bracket to run stress or thermal on, free in your browser | Open in LessCAD | Open in LessCAD |
|---|---|---|
| Mechanical | ||
| Yield strength | 345MPasourcenominal, strip/flat, 0.5% extension (not 0.2% offset) | 275MPasourceOutokumpu typical (product P = hot rolled plate, transverse) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 427MPasourcenominal, strip/flat | 585MPasourceOutokumpu typical |
| Elongation at break | 23%sourcenominal, in 2.0 in., strip/flat | 35%sourceOutokumpu typical, A5 |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 110GPasourcetypical, temper-independent | 200GPasourceat RT (Table 12) |
| Density | 8,525kg/m³sourcenominal | 7,900kg/m³sourceat RT |
| Strength to weight | 40.5kN·m/kg16% higher | 34.8kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 12.9MN·m/kg | 25.3MN·m/kg1.96x higher |
| Poisson's ratio | 0.34sourcereference value at room temperature (Wieland-M30 = CuZn30 = C26000, rolled products) | 0.3sourcedesign value (structural stainless steels) |
| Shear modulus | 41.2GPa | 76.9GPa1.87x stiffer in shear |
| Bulk modulus | 115GPa | 167GPa |
| Speed of sound | 3,597m/s | 5,032m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 121W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 15W/m·Ksourceat RT |
| Thermal expansion | 20µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-300 °C | 16µm/m·Ksourcemean, 20–100 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 100µm growth | 80µm growth25% less |
| Specific heat | 377J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 500J/kg·Ksourceat RT |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 37.7mm²/s9.94x faster | 3.8mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 12,510W/m13.9x more resistant | 902W/m |
| Melting point | 916–954°Csourcesolidus-liquidus | not sourced |
| Max service temperature | not sourced | 871°Csourcecontinuous, scaling limit |
| Values for | C26000 cartridge brass, H02 half hard flat/strip: CDA Electronic Connector Design Guide (mechanical) + CDA alloy page (physical) | 1.4305 / UNS S30300, Outokumpu typical values (hot rolled, solution annealed) from 'Steel Grades, Properties and Global Standards'; max service from Carpenter CarTech 303 datasheet |
Every value links to the document that states it. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.
Questions
Is Brass C260 stronger than Stainless 303?
Brass C260 is stronger: its yield strength is 345 MPa against 275 MPa for Stainless 303 (25%).
Which is lighter, Brass C260 or Stainless 303?
Stainless 303 is lighter: 7,900 kg/m³ against 8,525 kg/m³ for Brass C260.
Which is stiffer, Brass C260 or Stainless 303?
Stainless 303 is stiffer: Young's modulus 200 GPa against 110 GPa for Brass C260, so the same part in Stainless 303 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Brass C260 or Stainless 303?
For the same stiffness or strength: Brass C260 is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate; Stainless 303 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate.
| Part that must be | Brass C260 | Stainless 303 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 1.96x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 45% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 32% heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 16% heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 8% heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 4% heavier |
For the same stiffness or strength, mass scales with density over stiffness (or strength) raised to a power set by how the part is loaded: 1 for a rod in tension, 1/2 for a beam in bending, 1/3 for a panel (the standard material-selection indices).
Which conducts heat better, Brass C260 or Stainless 303?
Brass C260 conducts heat better: 121 W/m·K against 15 W/m·K for Stainless 303.
Which expands less with temperature?
Stainless 303 expands less: 16 µm/m·K against 20 µm/m·K for Brass C260.