黃(huang)銅(tong)是(shi)銅(tong)與鋅的(de)合(he)(he)金。簡單(dan)的(de)黃(huang)銅(tong)是(shi)銅(tong)——鋅二元(yuan)合(he)(he)金，稱(cheng)為簡單(dan)黃(huang)銅(tong)或普通(tong)黃(huang)銅(tong)。改變黃(huang)銅(tong)中鋅的(de)含量(liang)可以得(de)到不(bu)同機械性能的(de)黃(huang)銅(tong)。黃(huang)銅(tong)中鋅的(de)含量(liang)越高(gao)，其強(qiang)度也較高(gao)，塑性稍低(di)。工業中采(cai)用的(de)黃(huang)銅(tong)含鋅量(liang)不(bu)超(chao)過45%，含鋅量(liang)再高(gao)將(jiang)會產(chan)生脆性，使合(he)(he)金性能變壞。

為了改善(shan)黃(huang)(huang)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)某種性能(neng)(neng)，在一元黃(huang)(huang)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)基礎上加入其它合金(jin)元素的(de)(de)(de)(de)黃(huang)(huang)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)稱為特殊黃(huang)(huang)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)。常用的(de)(de)(de)(de)合金(jin)元素有硅(gui)、鋁、錫(xi)、鉛(qian)、錳、鐵與鎳等。在黃(huang)(huang)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)中加鋁能(neng)(neng)提(ti)高黃(huang)(huang)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)屈(qu)服強度和(he)(he)抗腐(fu)蝕(shi)性，稍降低(di)塑性。含(han)鋁小于4%的(de)(de)(de)(de)黃(huang)(huang)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)具(ju)有良好的(de)(de)(de)(de)加工、鑄造等綜合性能(neng)(neng)。在黃(huang)(huang)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)中加1%的(de)(de)(de)(de)錫(xi)能(neng)(neng)顯著改善(shan)黃(huang)(huang)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)的(de)(de)(de)(de)抗海水(shui)和(he)(he)海洋大氣(qi)腐(fu)蝕(shi)的(de)(de)(de)(de)能(neng)(neng)力(li)，因此(ci)稱為“海軍黃(huang)(huang)銅(tong)(tong)(tong)(tong)”。

錫還能(neng)(neng)(neng)改善(shan)(shan)黃(huang)(huang)銅(tong)(tong)的切削加(jia)工性(xing)能(neng)(neng)(neng)。黃(huang)(huang)銅(tong)(tong)加(jia)鉛的主(zhu)要目的是改善(shan)(shan)切削加(jia)工性(xing)和(he)提高耐磨性(xing)，鉛對(dui)黃(huang)(huang)銅(tong)(tong)的強(qiang)度影響不大。錳黃(huang)(huang)銅(tong)(tong)具有良好的機械性(xing)能(neng)(neng)(neng)、熱穩定(ding)性(xing)和(he)抗(kang)蝕性(xing)；在(zai)錳黃(huang)(huang)銅(tong)(tong)中加(jia)鋁，還可以改善(shan)(shan)它的性(xing)能(neng)(neng)(neng)，得(de)到表面光(guang)潔(jie)的鑄件。黃(huang)(huang)銅(tong)(tong)可分(fen)為鑄造和(he)壓(ya)力(li)加(jia)工兩類產品。