The brass would begin to glow a dull red at round about 700 deg C. And as the temperature rose the colour would become more like cherry red. Depending on the type of brass the t,eprature could not go much higher than 900 deg before it melted. Viewed in virtual darkness the first signs of red appear at around 600 deg C.
The colours are a surface response to specific temperatures to which the metal is subjected, and engineers use these colours as a guide to the different degrees of hardness achieved by heat-treating the steel. This is because structural changes are taking place within the fabric of the metal as well as on the surface in response to rising degrees of applied heat.
Heat- colours continue to patinate, even after rapid cooling with water – they can darken, or they can gradually lose the colour, because it is actually a very delicate and microscopically thin surface layer of crystallized material that refracts light to create the impression of colour. During the pattern-welding workshop I undertook with Owen Bush, we experimented with heat on one of the billets we made – the layered magnesium-rich and nickel-rich steels showed slightly different rates of colouring, producing some beautiful patterns.
One of the most magical things about metals in general is their ability to transmit a wide range of colours under different conditions. The most brilliant and enduring pigments of the pre-industrial painters’ palette come from oxides, acetates and carbonates of metal ores and minerals. And the metals themselves, either in pure or alloyed form, yield a stunning range of colours, particularly in response to heating.
When you purchase mild steel in sheet form, its potential to yield colour is already apparent. There are gradations from light and dark greys to subtle blue tones, and maybe a bit of reddish oxidation here and there. These colours are only a few microns deep on the surface – when you cut or grind the steel it immediately reveals a very shiny silvery surface, which gradually patinates to grey. But if you apply heat to the newly exposed shiny surface, you get a most wonderful spectrum of colours – like a rainbow, but in a darker register.
As you train the concentrated flame of the torch onto the steel, it gradually turns a straw colour as it begins to reach a temperature of around 230 degrees Centigrade; as the temperature climbs towards 270 degrees it cycles though brown and then into purples, and finally, at about 300 degrees it gets to a beautiful indigo shade. The colours continue to cycle and flow along the piece of steel as the heat travels through it – it is actually very difficult to control. If you continue heating beyond 300 degrees you lose the colours altogether, and the steel hovers at grey for a while before it begins to glow through the reds and thence to the searing yellows (at over 1.000 degrees centigrade) which is forge-welding temperature.
Heat-Coloring Copper — The Art League School
FAQ
What happens if you heat brass?
Why does brass change color?
At what temp does brass oxidize?
Why does a metal color change with temperature?
Additionally, the color of the metal can change as it reaches certain temperature thresholds. This phenomenon, known as thermal oxidation or heat-induced patina, occurs due to the formation of oxide layers on the metal surface, giving it a unique and sometimes aesthetically pleasing appearance.
How do you change the color of a metal?
This effect will persist as long as the oxide layer is present. To return the metal to its original color, the oxide layer must be removed. To further expand on this, once you know what temperature makes a metal change and to what colours, you can use this to heat treat metals. It’s a very interesting skill called metalergy.
Why do metal colors show up in bands of color?
The colors you see represent the different colors being reflected based on how deep the oxidation which is based on how hot the metal got at that area. That’s why it shows up in bands of color. The dark blue is closest to the heat source and so hotter.