Pure Copper

Oxygen-free copper or pure copper is typically specified according to the ASTM/UNS database for CSN. The UNS database includes many different compositions of high conductivity electrical copper. Of these three are widely used and two are considered oxygen-free. C10100 - also known as Oxygen-Free Electronic (OFE). This is a 99.99%pure copper with 0.0005% oxygen content. It achieves a minimum 101% IACS conductivity rating. This copper is finished to a final form in a carefully regulated, oxygen-free environment. Silver (Ag) is considered an impurity in the OFE chemical specification. This is also the most expensive of the three grades listed here. C10200 - also known as Oxygen-Free (OF). While OF is considered oxygen-free, its conductivity rating is no better than the more common ETP grade below. It has a 0.001% oxygen content, 99.95% purity and minimum 100% IACS conductivity. For the purposes of purity percentage, silver (Ag) content is counted as copper (Cu). C11000 - also known as Electrolytic-Tough-Pitch (ETP). This is the most common copper. It is universal for electrical applications. ETP has a minimum conductivity rating of 98% IACS. As with OF copper, silver (Ag) content is counted as copper (Cu) for purity purposes.

Oxygen-free high thermal conductivity copper

Oxygen-free high thermal conductivity (OFHC) copper is widely used in cryogenics. OFHC is produced by the direct conversion of selected refined cathodes and castings under carefully controlled conditions to prevent contamination of the pure oxygen-free metal during processing. The method of producing OFHC copper ensures extra high grade of metal with a copper content of 99.99%. With so small a content of extraneous elements, the inherent properties of elemental copper are brought forth to a high degree. Characteristics of such copper are high ductility, high electrical and thermal conductivity, high impact strength, good creep resistance, ease of welding, and low relative volatility under high vacuum.

Industrial applications of pure copper

For industrial applications, oxygen-free copper is used for its chemical purity than its electrical conductivity. OF/OFE grade copper is used in plasma deposition (sputtering) processes, including the manufacture of semiconductors and superconductor components, as well as in high vacuum devices and nuclear power plants.

In any of these applications, the release of oxygen or other impurities can cause undesirable chemical reactions with other materials in the local environment

Beryllium Copper

Beryllium copper (BeCu), also known as copper beryllium, beryllium bronze and spring copper, is a copperalloy with 0.5—3% beryllium and sometimes with other alloying elements. Beryllium copper combines high strength with non-magnetic and non-sparking qualities. It has excellent metalworking, forming and machining qualities. It has many specialized applications in tools for hazardous environments, musical instruments, precision measurement devices, bullets, and aerospace.

Beryllium copper is a ductile, weldable, and machinable alloy. It is resistant to non-oxidizing acids (for example, hydrochloric acid, or carbonic acid), to plastic decomposition products, to abrasivewear and to galling. Furthermore, it can be heat-treated to improve its strength, durability, and electrical conductivity. Beryllium copper attains the highest strength (to 1,400 MPa (200,000 psi)) of any copper-based alloy.

Alloy 25 beryllium copper (C17200 & C17300) is an age-hardening alloy which attains the highest strength of any copper base alloy. It may be age hardened after forming into springs, intricate forms or complex shapes. It has superb spring properties, corrosion resistance and stability as well as good conductivity and low creep.

Tempered beryllium copper is Alloy 25 (C17200 & C17300) that has been age hardened and cold drawn. No further heat treatment is necessary except for a possible light stress relief. It is sufficiently ductile to wind on its own diameter and can be formed into springs and most shapes. Tempered wire is most useful where the properties of beryllium copper are desired, but age hardening of finished parts is not practical.

Alloys 3 (C17510) and 10 (C17500) beryllium copper are age-hardenable and provide excellent electrical conductivity in combination with good physical properties and endurance strength. Provided in either the age-hardenable condition or as tempered ware, they are used in springs and wire forms which are electrical conductors, or where retention of properties at elevated temperatures is important.

Safety concern

As beryllium compounds are toxic and cumulative poisons, there are some safety concerns with handling its alloys. In solid form and as finished parts, beryllium copper presents no known health hazard. However, breathing its dust or vapors, as formed when machining or welding, will eventually cause serious lung damage. Beryllium compounds are known human carcinogens when inhaled. As a result, beryllium copper is sometimes replaced by safer copper alloys such as Cu-Ni-Sn bronze. Hence we discourage the usage of Beryllium copper where not required, but if asked for we can provide Beryllium copper.

Industrial Applications

Beryllium copper is a non-ferrous alloy used in springs, spring wire, load cells and other parts that must retain their shapes during periods in which they are subjected to repeated stress and strain. Due to its electrical conductivity, it is used in low-current contacts for batteries and electrical connectors. Because beryllium copper is non-sparking but physically tough and nonmagnetic, it is used to make tools that can safely be used in environments where there are explosive vapors and gases, such as on oil rigs. Beryllium copper fulfills the demands of ATEX directive for use in Zone 0, 1, and 2. Various tool types are available, including screwdrivers, pliers, spanners, cold chisels and hammers. An alternative metal sometimes used for non-sparking tools is aluminum bronze. Compared to tools made of steel, beryllium copper tools are more expensive, are not as strong, and wear out more quickly. However, the advantages of using beryllium copper in hazardous explosive environments outweigh these disadvantages.

Copper Nickel

Cupronickel or copper-nickel is an alloy of copper that contains nickel and strengthening elements, such as iron and manganese. Cupronickel is highly resistant to corrosion in seawater, because its electrode potential is adjusted to be neutral with regard to seawater. Because of this, it is used for piping, heat exchangers and condensers in seawater systems, as well as marine hardware, and sometimes for the propellers, crankshafts and hulls of premium tugboats, fishing boats and other working boats. Thermocouples and resistors whose resistance is stable across changes in temperature contain the 55% copper-45% nickel alloy constantan.

In seawater, the alloys have excellent corrosion rates which remain low as long as the maximum design flow velocity is not exceeded. This velocity depends on geometry and pipe diameter. They have high resistance to crevice corrosion, stress corrosion cracking and hydrogen embrittlement that can be troublesome to other alloy systems. Copper-nickels naturally form a thin protective surface layer over the first several weeks of exposure to seawater and this provides its ongoing resistance. Additionally, they have a high inherent biofouling resistance to attachment by macrofoulers (e.g. seagrasses and molluscs) living in the seawater. To use this property to its full potential, the alloy needs to be free of the effects of, or insulated from, any form of cathodic protection.

However, Cu-Ni alloys can show high corrosion rates in polluted or stagnant seawater when sulfides or ammonia are present. It is important, therefore, to avoid exposure to such conditions, particularly during commissioning and refit while the surface films are maturing. Ferrous sulfatedosing to sea water systems can provide improved resistance.

Copper nickels are commonly specified in heat exchanger or condenser tubes in evaporators of desalination plants, process industry plants, air cooling zones of thermal power plants, high-pressure feed water heaters, and sea water piping in ships.

Brass

Brass is an alloy made of copper and zinc; the proportions of zinc and copper can be varied to create a range of brasses with varying properties. It is a substitutional alloy: atoms of the two constituents may replace each other within the same crystal structure.

Industrial Applications

Brasses set the standard by which the machinability of other materials is judged and are also available in a very wide variety of product forms and sizes to allow minimum machining to finished dimensions. Brass does not become brittle at low temperatures like mild steel. Brass also has excellent thermal conductivity, making it a first choice for heat exchangers (radiators). Its electrical conductivity ranges from 23 to 44% that of pure copper.

Copper Alloy Molds: The Plastic Industry's Best Kept Secret

The main function of an injection mold, beside defining a part's shape, is to remove heat from the plastic as quickly as possible. The mold should be thought of as a heat transfer device much like the automobile radiator. The faster the mold can transfer heat out of the molten plastic and solidify it, the faster the mold can be run. Reduced cycle time equates to reduced manufacturing cost. This is where copper alloys outperform other metals used for molds. Copper alloys provide the best combination of high thermal conductivity and hardness for molds used in the plastic industry today.

Cryogenic Properties of Copper

Copper and copper alloys retain a high degree of ductility and toughness at subzero temperatures. In fact, copper alloys become stronger and more ductile as the temperature goes down, retaining excellent impact resistance to 20 K (-253 C or -424 F).

Aluminium Bronze

Aluminium bronzes are finding increasing use in chemical, petrochemical and desalination plant, marine, offshore and shipboard plant, power generation, aircraft, automotive and railway engineering, iron and steelmaking, electrical manufacturing and building industries.

Application areas are best discussed with reference to the primary service property required, but there is of course an interplay of properties which finally governs the selection of a particular alloy.

It is worth noting that the excellent mechanical properties obtainable from both high integrity Castings and wrought products make it possible in most applications to interchange them to achieve maximum economy in developing final component design.

Marine Grade Aluminium

Aluminium Alloy-tempers are manufactured and corrosion tested for intended use in marine hull construction or in marine applications where frequent or constant direct contact with seawater is expected. This exhibits resistance to intergranular corrosion as indicated by an acceptable mass-loss when tested and is also capable of exhibiting no evidence of exfoliation or corrosion. We have Marine grade Aluminium for various applications in sheet, plate and disc shape.

Naval Brass

An alloy of about 60 percent copper and 40 percent zinc,with traces of lead, tin, arsenic, and iron, used in marine and steam-generating equipment is Naval Brass. We undertake to supply Naval Brass through our principal company in Germany.

Admiralty Brass

An alloy of not less than 70 percent copper, about 1 percent tin, small amounts of other elements, and the balance zinc; tin brass. We undertake to supply to supply Admiralty Brass Alloy C44300 in plate, disc and sheet form.

Advances in Copper

For more than 10,000 years, copper has been one of the most useful metals known to man. Even now, itis the medium of electrical transmission and digital communication.