What Alloy Weights Are Close to Silver?

Antifriction Metal

Antifriction metal is a class of alloys mainly comprised of copper, antimony and tin. These metals have a weight range of 9100 to 10600 kg/m3. Primarily used for mechanical bearings, they are also called bearing metals, white metals or Babbitt metal. The first antifriction metal was produced in 1839 by Issac Babbitt.

Brass is chiefly composed of zinc and copper, with copper being its primary component. However, the copper content in brass varies greatly, depending on the metal's intended use. Its density ranges from 8400 to 8800 kg/m3. Ancient metalworkers began producing brass as early as 3000 B.C. Today, brass is used in diverse industrial and commercial applications, from radiators to architectural trims.

Electrum is a naturally occurring or artificially produced alloy of gold and silver. The majority of natural electrum also contains small amounts of other elements such as palladium, copper, bismuth and iron. Some of the first coins in the Western world were made from electrum, and it is currently used for jewelry and other applications. Depending on the variety, electrum has a weight of 8400 to 8900 kg/m3.

Despite its name, German silver -- also called nickel-silver -- doesn't contain silver; but is composed of zinc, copper and nickel, sometimes occurring with tin and lead. It was discovered by German scientist, E. A. Geitner, and was named "silver" because of its color. Highly resistant to electricity and corrosion, German silver is used for diverse purposes ranging from heating coils to marine fitting. It has a density of 8400 to 8900 kg/m3.

Bronze is an alloy of tin, zinc, phosphorus and copper; with its greatest component being copper. In the past, the names "bronze" and "brass" were used interchangeably; however, bronze has a different chemical composition and is harder than brass. Bronze is easily combined with many other substances such as aluminum and silicon, thus has a wide density range of 7000 to 9000 kg/m3, depending on the metal configuration. Bronze has an array of applications including art, coins, steam fitting and chemical containers.