What is "phosphor bronze"

Bronze \Bronze\, n. [F. bronze, fr. It. bronzo brown, fr. OHG. br?n, G. braun. See Brown, a.]

1. An alloy of copper and tin, to which small proportions of other metals, especially zinc, are sometimes added. It is hard and sonorous, and is used for statues, bells, cannon, etc., the proportions of the ingredients being varied to suit the particular purposes. The varieties containing the higher proportions of tin are brittle, as in bell metal and speculum metal.

2. A statue, bust, etc., cast in bronze.

   A print, a bronze, a flower, a root.
   --Prior.

3. A yellowish or reddish brown, the color of bronze; also, a pigment or powder for imitating bronze.

4. Boldness; impudence; ``brass.''

   Imbrowned with native bronze, lo! Henley stands.
   --Pope.

   Aluminium bronze. See under Aluminium.

   Bronze age, an age of the world which followed the stone age, and was characterized by the use of implements and ornaments of copper or bronze.

   Bronze powder, a metallic powder, used with size or in combination with painting, to give the appearance of bronze, gold, or other metal, to any surface.

   Phosphor bronze & Silicious bronze or Silicium bronze are made by adding phosphorus and silicon respectively to ordinary bronze, and are characterized by great tenacity.

n. Any alloy of copper with 3.5 to 10% tin and up to 1% phosphorus, notable for toughness, strength, low coefficient of friction, and fine grain.

n. a corrosion-resistant bronze containing phosphorus; used in bearings and gears

Phosphor bronze is an alloy of copper with 3.5–10% of tin and up to 1% phosphorus. The phosphorus is added as a deoxidizing agent during melting.

These alloys are notable for their toughness, strength, low coefficient of friction, and fine grain. The phosphorus reduces the viscosity of the molten alloy, which makes it easier and cleaner to cast and reduces grain boundaries between crystallites.