A process of increasing the hardness and strength by the precipitation of particles of a phase from a supersaturated solid solution alloy. The hardening cycle usually consists of heating or annealing at a temperature sufficiently high to maintain solid solution, rapid cooling or quenching to retain the supersaturated solid solution, and subsequent heating at a temperature lower than the solution anneal to effect the precipitation.

An alloy is a combination, either in solution or chemical compound, of two or more elements, at least one of which is a metal, and where the resulting material has metallic properties. The resulting metallic substance usually has different properties (sometimes significantly different) from those of its components.

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Aluminum alloys or aluminium alloys are alloys of aluminum, often with copper, zinc, manganese, silicon, or magnesium. They are much lighter and more corrosion resistant than plain carbon steel, but not quite as corrosion resistant as pure aluminum.

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A thermal treatment to soften metal by removal of stress resulting from cold working or by coalescing precipitates from solid solution

A Copper Alloy (C38500) often used in building hardware and for other ornamental, architectural uses.

Chemical Composition for C38500

(%max., unless shown as range or min.)