What Is a Copper Strip?
Copper strips are products made by stretching copper, or copper alloys, through plastic working, such as hot or cold working.
Typical examples include copper tubing, copper wire, copper rod, copper film, copper foil, and copper sheet. Copper strips are widely used in various industries due to their high electrical conductivity, workability, corrosion resistance, and heat resistance. Copper and copper alloys are hot-rolled, cold-rolled, drawn, or rolled and drawn, and the properties and quality of copper strips vary depending on the manufacturing process, purity of the material, and processing method.
Uses of Copper Strips
Copper strips are mainly used for the following applications:
- Conductor Material Used in Electrical Wiring and Equipment
Household appliances, automobiles, ships, aircraft, railcars, communication equipment, computers, etc. - Electrical Conductors Used in Circuits for Motors, Generators, Etc.
Generators, transformers, transformers, motors, switches, etc. are examples. - Materials Used in Metal Fabrication
Tubes, plates, sheets, flanges, screws, bolts, etc. - Electromagnetic Shielding Materials
Examples include electrical equipment, communication equipment, medical equipment, aircraft, and automobiles. - Welding Materials Used for Electric Welding and Brazing
Copper tubing, copper pipes, copper piping, and copper wire are examples. - Decorative Materials Used for Furniture and Architectural Decoration
Interior design, architectural decoration, furniture, etc.
Properties of Copper Strips
1. Excellent Electrical Conductivity
Copper is an excellent conductor of electricity, and copper strips are used as conductors in electrical wiring and equipment. The reason for the copper strip’s excellent electrical conductivity is copper’s atomic structure, which allows a single electron to move freely.
Copper’s electronic structure allows copper atoms to conduct electrons freely and act as a pathway for electricity because externally added electrons are absorbed by the copper atom and can move freely. In addition, the dense crystal structure of copper provides numerous pathways for electrons to travel. Because it is very soft and easily deformable, electrons can move more freely, making copper strips a very high conductor of electricity.
2. Excellent Processing Performance
The advantage of copper strips is that they can be easily reshaped by processing, such as rolling or drawing. The reason for the good workability of copper strips is the crystalline structure of copper. Copper is characterized by densely packed atoms that are easily deformed in shape by external forces. Plastic deformation due to copper’s ductility creates defects in the crystal lattice, and as the number of defects increases, copper’s crystal structure becomes more elastic, allowing recrystallization to occur more easily. Recrystallization removes the defective regions, restoring the crystal structure and making it strong again.
Due to the above properties, copper strips can be formed into thin sheets, rods, wires, and tubes. For example, copper wire can be drawn thin using its ductility, and copper sheet can be made thinner by rolling.
3. Good Corrosion Resistance
Copper is a durable material that resists corrosion in air and water. Copper’s resistance to corrosion in air and water and its durability is due to the fact that copper forms a thin oxide film. The oxide film formed serves to protect the copper surface and shield it from corrosion.
Copper is also non-corrosive under certain water quality conditions, and will not corrode if the water quality is appropriate for oxygen and salinity. Furthermore, copper is a highly durable material because of its properties as a precious metal, resistance to oxidation, and resistance to high temperatures and acids. Therefore, copper is widely used in industrial applications such as building materials, water pipes, and ships.
4. Excellent Thermal Conductivity
Copper has excellent thermal conductivity performance. The high degree of freedom of electrons allows them to move freely and efficiently transfer heat energy as they are received. In addition, copper has a dense and uniform crystalline structure, which means that the distance between atoms is close and thermal energy can be transferred efficiently. The thermal conductivity of copper is also affected by the amount of impurities.
5. Good Machining Accuracy
Copper strips have a high machining accuracy. Copper is very soft and suitable for fabrication, facilitating the pressing, bending, cutting, and other operations required to form and fabricate copper strips, thereby increasing the accuracy of fabrication. Copper is also an excellent heat conductor, quickly transferring and cooling the heat generated during processing, minimizing problems such as thermal deformation and distortion in the fabrication of copper strips.
Furthermore, copper strips have a fine crystalline structure, which allows for uniformity of structure and high processing accuracy, even in uniform, fine processing. The high purity of the wrought copper alloy ensures stable quality after processing, prevents defects from occurring during processing, and achieves high processing accuracy. 6.
6. Beautiful Appearance
Copper strips with high purity have a beautiful metallic luster and are used for applications such as furniture and decorative items.
Other Information on Copper Strips
Addition of Elements
Copper strip is a copper-based material, and its properties can be changed by adding elements other than copper. Typical examples are as follows:
1. Brass
Brass is an alloy consisting mainly of copper and zinc, and is yellow. It is characterized by good workability, thermal conductivity, and corrosion resistance. It is used for building materials, ornaments, musical instruments, etc.
2. Phosphor Bronze
An alloy consisting mainly of copper and phosphorus, it is reddish. It is characterized by high wear resistance, corrosion resistance, machinability, and strength, as well as excellent workability. It is used for springs, electrical contacts, and mechanical parts.
3. Nickel Silver
Nickel silver is an alloy consisting mainly of copper and nickel with a silvery tint. It is characterized by excellent corrosion resistance, wear resistance, machinability, thermal conductivity, and good aesthetics. It is used for tableware, cookware, and interior decorations.
4. Beryllium Copper
Beryllium copper is an alloy composed mainly of copper and beryllium, and has a yellowish color. It is characterized by high strength, hardness, modulus of elasticity, fatigue resistance, and resistance to high temperatures. It is used for springs, springs, and electrical contacts in aircraft and automobiles.
5. Aluminum Bronze
Aluminum bronze is a copper alloy made primarily from copper with aluminum added. The addition of aluminum makes the material stronger and lighter than copper alone. For this reason, it is widely used in fields where weight reduction is required, such as aircraft and automobiles.
In addition, aluminum bronze has excellent corrosion resistance and is resistant to seawater and chemicals. It has excellent workability and can be processed into various shapes by casting, forging, or process heating.