Materials / Compare

Brass C260 vs. Stainless Steel 304

Compare Brass C260 vs. Stainless Steel 304 strength, stiffness, weight and thermal properties.

Brass C260Wrought
Stainless Steel 304Wrought
MechanicalBrass C260Stainless Steel 304
Yield strength345MPa143% stronger241MPa2
Ultimate tensile strength427MPa1586MPa237% stronger
Elongation at break23%155%22.39x more ductile
Young's modulus (stiffness)110GPa3193GPa21.75x stiffer
Density8,525kg/m³38,030kg/m³2
Strength to weight40.5kN·m/kg35% higher30kN·m/kg
Stiffness to weight12.9MN·m/kg24MN·m/kg1.86x higher
Poisson's ratio0.344design value0.35
Shear modulus41.2GPa74.2GPa1.8x stiffer in shear
Bulk modulus115GPa161GPa40% higher
Speed of sound3,597m/s4,903m/s36% faster
1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Young's modulus (GPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonWoodAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Copper C10100Copper C12200GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VNickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin StandardSLA Resin Tough 2000SLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelConcretePCB Laminate FR-4SiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Ceramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum 3003-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Brass C260Stainless Steel 304
Stiffness against densityHigher and further left: stiffer for its weight
1k10k101001kDensity (kg/m³)Yield strength (MPa)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic TPUPlastic NylonRubberWoodAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Copper C10100Copper C12200GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VNickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM PAHT-CFFDM HIPSSLA Resin StandardSLA Resin Tough 2000SLA Resin Elastic 50ASLS PA12 NylonDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelBrickPCB Laminate FR-4SiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Aluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum 3003-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Brass C260Stainless Steel 304
Strength against densityHigher and further left: stronger for its weight
ThermalBrass C260Stainless Steel 304
Thermal conductivity121W/m·K37.48x more heat through a finat 100 °C16.2W/m·K2
Thermal expansion20µm/m·K3mean16.9µm/m·K218% less
100 mm part over a 50 °C swing100µm growth84.5µm growth18% less
Specific heat377J/kg·K3mean500J/kg·K233% higher
Heats up and cools (diffusivity)37.7mm²/s9.35x faster4.03mm²/s
Thermal shock resistance12,510W/m14.9x more resistant838W/m
Melting pointsolidus-liquidus916–954°C3melting range1,399–1,454°C2
Max service temperaturenot sourcedcontinuous899°C2
1k10k0.1110100Density (kg/m³)Thermal conductivity (W/m·K)Plastic PLAPlastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic NylonRubberWoodAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Copper C10100Copper C12200GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VNickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM HIPSSLA Resin StandardDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelConcreteBrickPCB Laminate FR-4SiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Ceramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum 3003-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Brass C260Stainless Steel 304
Thermal conductivity against densityHigher and further left: spreads more heat for its weight
0.111010010100Thermal conductivity (W/m·K)Thermal expansion (µm/m·K)Plastic PETGPlastic ABSPlastic NylonWoodAluminumSteelIronTitaniumSteel AISI 1018Stainless Steel 316Aluminum 6061-T6Aluminum 7075-T6Brass C360Copper C110Copper C10100Copper C12200GlassSteel AISI 1045Steel AISI 4340Steel A992Stainless Steel 303Stainless Steel 17-4PHAluminum 2024-T351Aluminum 5052-H32Aluminum 7050-T7451Titanium Ti-6Al-4VNickel Inconel 718Magnesium AZ31B-H24Zinc Zamak 3Plastic ABS (bulk/injection)Plastic PolycarbonatePlastic POM/AcetalPlastic Nylon PA6Plastic Nylon PA66Plastic PEEKPlastic PTFEPlastic UHMWPEPlastic HDPEPlastic PolypropylenePlastic PMMAFDM ASAFDM PolycarbonateFDM HIPSSLA Resin StandardDMLS AlSi10Mg AluminumDMLS Ti-6Al-4V ELI TitaniumDMLS 316L Stainless SteelDMLS 17-4PH Stainless SteelConcreteBrickPlywoodPCB Laminate FR-4SiliconCeramic Alumina 96%Ceramic Aluminum NitrideAluminum A380Aluminum 6063-T6Aluminum 1100-OAluminum 3003-OAluminum ADC12Magnesium AZ91DSolder SAC305Plastic PBT GF30Plastic PPS GF40Plastic LCP GF30Brass C260Stainless Steel 304
Thermal expansion against thermal conductivityLower and further right: warps less when heated
Try it on a partA bracket to run stress or thermal on, free in your browserOpen in LessCADOpen in LessCAD
Sources5 documents: Copper Development Association, Cleveland-Cliffs, Wieland, Steel Construction Institute
Brass C260
C26000 cartridge brass, H02 half hard flat/strip: CDA Electronic Connector Design Guide (mechanical) + CDA alloy page (physical)
Stainless Steel 304
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
  1. 1
    Electronic Connector Design Guide: Cold Rolled TempersCopper Development Associationarchived copyBrass C260 · Yield strength: nominal, strip/flat, 0.5% extension (not 0.2% offset)Brass C260 · Ultimate tensile strength: nominal, strip/flatBrass C260 · Elongation at break: nominal, in 2.0 in., strip/flat
  2. 2
    304/304L Stainless Steel Product Data Bulletin (2021)Cleveland-CliffsStainless Steel 304 · Yield strength: typical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C)Stainless Steel 304 · Ultimate tensile strength: typical, annealed, 70 °F (21 °C)Stainless Steel 304 · Elongation at break: typical, annealed, in 2 in. (50.8 mm)Stainless Steel 304 · Young's modulus (stiffness): typical, in tensionStainless Steel 304 · Density: typicalStainless Steel 304 · Thermal conductivity: at 100 °CStainless Steel 304 · Thermal expansion: mean, 0–100 °CStainless Steel 304 · Specific heat: mean, 0–100 °CStainless Steel 304 · Melting point: melting rangeStainless Steel 304 · Max service temperature: continuous, oxidation (scaling) limit in air
  3. 3
    C26000 Alloy (copper.org)Copper Development Associationarchived copyBrass C260 · Young's modulus (stiffness): typical, temper-independentBrass C260 · Density: nominalBrass C260 · Thermal conductivity: typical, 20 °CBrass C260 · Thermal expansion: typical, mean 20-300 °CBrass C260 · Specific heat: typical, 20 °CBrass C260 · Melting point: solidus-liquidus
  4. 4
    Wieland-M30 (CuZn30, C26000) Data SheetWielandarchived copyBrass C260 · Poisson's ratio: reference value at room temperature (Wieland-M30 = CuZn30 = C26000, rolled products)
  5. 5
    Design Manual for Structural Stainless Steel, 4th Edition (P413)Steel Construction Institutearchived copyStainless Steel 304 · Poisson's ratio: design value (structural stainless steels)

Each number points to the document that states it, with the exact basis. Values without a number are computed from the sourced ones. "Not sourced" means no citable source states it (or only a specification minimum); figures computed from it are left out too.

Questions

Mechanical

Is Brass C260 stronger than Stainless Steel 304?

Brass C260 is stronger: its yield strength is 345 MPa against 241 MPa for Stainless Steel 304 (43%).

Which is lighter, Brass C260 or Stainless Steel 304?

Stainless Steel 304 is lighter: 8,030 kg/m³ against 8,525 kg/m³ for Brass C260.

Which is stiffer, Brass C260 or Stainless Steel 304?

Stainless Steel 304 is stiffer: Young's modulus 193 GPa against 110 GPa for Brass C260, so the same part in Stainless Steel 304 deflects less under the same load.

Which is lighter for the same job, Brass C260 or Stainless Steel 304?

For the same stiffness or strength: Brass C260 is lighter for a strong rod or tie, strong beam, strong panel or plate; Stainless Steel 304 is lighter for a stiff rod or tie (tension), stiff beam (bending), stiff panel or plate.

Part that must beBrass C260Stainless Steel 304
Stiff rod or tie (tension)1.86x heavierlighter
Stiff beam (bending)40% heavierlighter
Stiff panel or plate28% heavierlighter
Strong rod or tielighter35% heavier
Strong beamlighter20% heavier
Strong panel or platelighter13% 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 is more ductile, Brass C260 or Stainless Steel 304?

Stainless Steel 304 stretches further before it breaks: 55% elongation at break against 23% for Brass C260.

Thermal

Which conducts heat better, Brass C260 or Stainless Steel 304?

Brass C260 conducts heat better: 121 W/m·K against 16.2 W/m·K for Stainless Steel 304.

Which expands less with temperature?

Stainless Steel 304 expands less: 16.9 µm/m·K against 20 µm/m·K for Brass C260.

Related comparisons