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Technical Resources

Metal Powder
Knowledge Centre

Ronald Britton has manufactured and supplied metal powders since 1945. This resource centre brings together our full library of specification data, application engineering guides, material comparisons, and interactive tools, covering copper, tin, bronze, brass, aluminium, and iron powders across mesh sizes from -40 to -400. Written by our in-house technical team, grounded in ISO 9001 & 14001 certified processes.

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Material Families
ISO
9001 & 14001 Certified
Top 8%
EcoVadis Rating
80
Years of Expertise
Explore by Topic

In-depth guides, data sheets, and technical articles organised by subject, from powder specifications to application engineering.

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Powder Properties & Specifications
Particle size distributions, mesh standards, apparent density, flow rate testing, purity grades, and morphology, explained with technical precision.
→ Understanding Mesh Size & Micron Conversion→ Apparent Density: What It Means & Why It Matters→ Particle Morphology: Dendritic vs. Spherical vs. Irregular→ Particle Size Distribution & D-Values
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Application Engineering Guides
How to select the right powder for diamond tooling, brazing, friction materials, coatings, electronics, and additive manufacturing processes.
→ Powder Selection for Diamond Tool Bond Matrices→ Metal Powders for Brazing & Soldering→ Choosing Powders for Liquid Metal Coatings→ Powder Requirements for Additive Manufacturing
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Material Selection & Comparison
Side-by-side comparisons of powder types, morphologies, and alloy compositions to help you choose the right material for your process.
→ Atomised vs. Electrolytic Copper Powder→ Bronze vs. Brass: Which Powder for Which Application?→ Copper Powder Grade Comparison Table
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Storage, Handling & Safety
Shelf life, moisture control, packaging standards, and safe handling protocols for fine metal powders across all grades.
→ Metal Powder Storage Best Practices
✓
Standards & Compliance
ISO testing methods, ASTM & MPIF standards, sieve analysis protocols, and what our certifications mean for your supply chain quality.
→ Understanding ISO 9001 in Metal Powder Supply→ ASTM & MPIF Standards for Metal Powders→ EcoVadis & Environmental Responsibility
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Manufacturing & Process Knowledge
How electrolytic, atomised, and chemically reduced powders are manufactured. What affects particle shape, size, and performance characteristics.
→ How Electrolytic Copper Powder Is Made→ Atomisation: Process & Particle Control
Reference Tool

Mesh ⇄ Micron Converter

Instantly convert between standard mesh sizes and micron measurementsBookmark this tool or link directly to it. Covers every common mesh size from -40 to -400.

⇄Mesh ⇄ Micron ConverterInteractive
Mesh Size
-200
Standard Sieve
⟷
Microns (µm)
<75
0.0030"
Quick Select
-40-60-80-100-120-150-170-200-230-270-325-400
Quick tip: The minus sign in mesh sizes (e.g. -200) means the powder passes through that sieve, so -200 mesh means all particles are smaller than 75 µm. Read the full guide →
Interactive Tool
Powder Selection Guide

Tell us your application and requirements, we'll recommend the right grade from our range.

Powder Selection Tool
01
Application
02
Requirements
03
Recommendation
What is your primary application?
Diamond ToolingBrazing & SolderingFriction MaterialsLiquid Metal & CoatingsElectronics & PCBsAdditive ManufacturingPowder MetallurgyMetal Finishes & PlatingOther / Not Sure
Next Step →
Refine Your Requirements
Preferred Mesh Size Range
Coarse (-40 to -100)Medium (-100 to -200)Fine (-200 to -325)Ultra-Fine (-325 to -400)Not Sure / Flexible
Particle Morphology
Spherical / RoundedDendritic / IrregularFlake / PlateletNo Preference
Key Priority
Flow & Packing DensityGreen StrengthSintering PerformanceThermal / Electrical ConductivityCost Efficiency
← BackGet Recommendation →
Our Recommendation
Electrolytic Copper & Pre-Alloyed Bronze
Based on your diamond tooling application requiring fine particle size with high green strength for optimal diamond retention.
Mesh Range
-200 to -325
Morphology
Dendritic
Apparent Density
1.2–2.8 g/cm³
Recommended Grades
CU-ED Electrolytic Dendritic Copper
Dendritic copper with high green strength for diamond bond matrices
Primary Pick
BR-9010 Pre-Alloyed Bronze 90/10
Pre-alloyed 90/10 bronze, a primary binder for diamond segments
Alternative
← Start OverRequest a Quote →
Quick Reference

Glossary of Key Terms

Technical terminology used across metal powder manufacturing, specification, and application engineering.

Apparent Density (AD)
Mass per unit volume of loosely packed powder, measured in g/cm³ per ASTM B212 using a Hall flowmeter funnel.
Atomised
Powder produced by breaking molten metal into droplets with high-pressure gas or water. Produces spherical or rounded particles.
Dendritic
Branching, tree-like particle morphology typical of electrolytic copper. Provides high green strength and excellent particle interlocking.
Flow Rate
Time for 50g of powder to pass through a standard Hall funnel, measured in seconds per ASTM B213. Indicates powder flowability.
Green Strength
Mechanical strength of a pressed powder compact before sintering. Allows handling and transport without breakage.
Mesh Size
Particle size measure based on openings per linear inch in a standard sieve. The minus sign means particles pass through, so -200 mesh = below 75 µm.
PSD
Particle Size Distribution: the range and proportion of particle sizes in a sample, measured by laser diffraction or sieve analysis.
Sintering
Heating a pressed powder compact below its melting point to bond particles into a solid part through atomic diffusion.

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