Materials / Compare
Brass C260 vs. Stainless 304
Compare Brass C260 vs. Stainless 304 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) | 241MPasourcetypical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C) |
| Ultimate tensile strength | 427MPasourcenominal, strip/flat | 586MPasourcetypical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C) |
| Elongation at break | 23%sourcenominal, in 2.0 in., strip/flat | 55%sourcetypical, annealed, in 2 in. (50.8 mm) |
| Young's modulus (stiffness) | 110GPasourcetypical, temper-independent | 193GPasourcetypical, in tension |
| Density | 8,525kg/m³sourcenominal | 8,030kg/m³sourcetypical |
| Strength to weight | 40.5kN·m/kg35% higher | 30kN·m/kg |
| Stiffness to weight | 12.9MN·m/kg | 24MN·m/kg1.86x 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 | 74.2GPa1.8x stiffer in shear |
| Bulk modulus | 115GPa | 161GPa |
| Speed of sound | 3,597m/s | 4,903m/s |
| Thermal | ||
| Thermal conductivity | 121W/m·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 16.2W/m·Ksourceat 100 °C |
| Thermal expansion | 20µm/m·Ksourcetypical, mean 20-300 °C | 16.9µm/m·Ksourcemean, 0–100 °C |
| 100 mm part over a 50 °C swing | 100µm growth | 84.5µm growth18% less |
| Specific heat | 377J/kg·Ksourcetypical, 20 °C | 500J/kg·Ksourcemean, 0–100 °C |
| Heats up and cools (diffusivity) | 37.7mm²/s9.35x faster | 4.03mm²/s |
| Thermal shock resistance | 12,510W/m14.9x more resistant | 838W/m |
| Melting point | 916–954°Csourcesolidus-liquidus | 1,399–1,454°Csourcemelting range |
| Max service temperature | not sourced | 899°Csourcecontinuous, oxidation (scaling) limit in air |
| Values for | C26000 cartridge brass, H02 half hard flat/strip: CDA Electronic Connector Design Guide (mechanical) + CDA alloy page (physical) | Type 304, annealed flat-rolled (Cleveland-Cliffs 304/304L Product Data Bulletin, May 2021); Poisson's ratio from the Nickel Institute/SCI structural stainless design manual |
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 304?
Brass C260 is stronger: its yield strength is 345 MPa against 241 MPa for Stainless 304 (43%).
Which is lighter, Brass C260 or Stainless 304?
Stainless 304 is lighter: 8,030 kg/m³ against 8,525 kg/m³ for Brass C260.
Which is stiffer, Brass C260 or Stainless 304?
Stainless 304 is stiffer: Young's modulus 193 GPa against 110 GPa for Brass C260, so the same part in Stainless 304 deflects less under the same load.
Which is lighter for the same job, Brass C260 or Stainless 304?
For the same stiffness or strength: Brass C260 is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate; Stainless 304 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate.
| Part that must be | Brass C260 | Stainless 304 |
|---|---|---|
| Stiff rod or tie (tension) | 1.86x heavier | lighter |
| Stiff beam (bending) | 40% heavier | lighter |
| Stiff panel or plate | 28% heavier | lighter |
| Strong rod or tie | lighter | 35% heavier |
| Strong beam | lighter | 20% heavier |
| Strong panel or plate | lighter | 13% 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 304?
Brass C260 conducts heat better: 121 W/m·K against 16.2 W/m·K for Stainless 304.
Which expands less with temperature?
Stainless 304 expands less: 16.9 µm/m·K against 20 µm/m·K for Brass C260.