Creep behaviour of leaded brass

The creep behaviour of Cu–36wt.% Zn alloys containing 2.5 wt.% of lead has been investigated. Constant tensile stress creep experiments were carried out in the temperature range from 523 to 823 K and under constant stresses from 5 to 250 MPa. Scanning electron microscopy and energy dispersive X-ray analysis were performed on crept as well as uncrept parts of the specimens in order to examine the mechanisms of creep deformation in leaded brass. Attention has been paid to the role of lead on the creep behaviour of brass, the influence of temperature on creep curves, the stress sensitivity parameter and apparent activation energy of creep. The creep data obtained are examined by several methods of conventional analysis of steady-state creep.