Which materials can be effectively joined using brazing?

Brazing is a process that uses a filler metal to join two or more materials together at elevated temperatures. The correct answer highlights materials such as copper, aluminum, and brass, which are commonly used in brazing operations due to their favorable properties.

These metals can be effectively joined because they have melting points that allow for the filler metal to flow and create a strong bond without melting the base materials. Copper, in particular, is frequently brazed due to its excellent thermal conductivity and mechanical properties. Aluminum is also a suitable candidate for brazing when proper fluxes and filler metals are used to prevent oxidation during the process. Brass, being an alloy of copper and zinc, is easily brazed because of its good fluidity and strength.

The effectiveness of brazing with these materials is also enhanced by their ability to be processed at temperatures generally below their melting points. This characteristic not only maintains the integrity of the base metals but also allows for a large variety of applications in plumbing, HVAC, and electrical connections, among others.

The other choices involve materials that either cannot be effectively joined through brazing or are not typically associated with this connecting method. For example, PVC and wood, iron and plastic, and stainless steels involve material combinations that do not work well