What Is Chromium Copper?
Chromium Copper is an alloy of copper with a small addition of chromium.
It combines the thermal and electrical conductivity of copper with the high hardness of Chromium Copper, making it a material of great industrial importance.
Chromium Copper does not deteriorate easily even after prolonged use at high temperatures. As a result, it is used in applications such as electrodes for resistance welding machines, the backing for gas turbine bearings, and continuous casting molds for nonferrous metals.
Uses of Chromium Copper
Chromium Copper is an alloy material widely used in industry because of its excellent thermal conductivity and wear resistance. The following are examples of Chromium Copper applications:
1. Mechanical Parts
Due to its strength and hardness, Chromium Copper is sometimes used in mechanical parts such as gears and bearings. It is often used in high-performance machinery such as automobiles, aircraft, and construction equipment.
2. Wear Products
Chromium Copper is sometimes used for wear parts because of its high wear resistance and strength. Examples include backing plates for semiconductors and liquid crystals and continuous casting molds for nonferrous metals. Chromium Copper is especially common in wear parts that are used under high load conditions.
It may also be used in electrodes for resistance welding machines. Resistance welders are devices that heat metal surfaces to join them, and electrodes are used to heat metal surfaces by resistance heating. Chromium Copper withstands the high temperatures caused by resistance heating, and the low contact resistance created during heating makes the welding process more efficient. In addition, its high wear resistance extends the life of the electrode.
3. Ornaments
Chromium Copper is sometimes used in products such as ornaments and jewelry because of its beautiful appearance and corrosion resistance. It is fabricated as rings and bracelets. It is easy to polish and can be finished with mirror or matte finishes.
However, due to its high price, it is sometimes used only in some luxury brand products. In addition, since it may cause allergic reactions, coating or alloying is required when used for parts that come into direct contact with the skin.
Properties of Chromium Copper
Chromium copper is a copper alloy consisting mainly of copper with a small amount of chromium added to improve its functionality.
Copper is a reddish-brown metal with atomic number 29 and element symbol Cu. It is characterized by its ductility, and is easy to process. It is used for electric wires and cooking utensils because of its excellent thermal and electrical conductivity.
Chromium is a silvery-white metal with atomic number 24 and element symbol Cr. It is characterized by its hardness and corrosion resistance among metals. It is widely known for its use as stainless steel, an alloy with iron. It is also used as chrome plating.
Chromium Copper has high electrical and thermal conductivity. It also has excellent wear and fatigue resistance due to the high hardness derived from chromium. It is characterized by a minimal decrease in capacity even when used at high temperatures for long periods of time.
Other Information on Chromium Copper
Chromium Copper Standards
One example of a standard for Chromium Copper is JIS Z 3234 (1999): Copper alloy electrode materials for resistance welding. This standard specifies copper alloy resistance welding electrodes and covers a wide range of copper alloys. Chromium Copper is also specified in two classifications according to its properties and shape.
In the first classification, Chromium Copper is classified into two types (copper alloys with excellent mechanical properties and high-temperature properties, depending on heat treatment, etc.). The first classification classifies chromium copper into two types (copper alloys with excellent mechanical properties and high-temperature properties due to heat treatment, etc.), which are specified by shape (bar, plate, etc.), thickness, diameter, tensile strength, hardness, electrical conductivity, and softening characteristic temperature, respectively.
The second classification is in accordance with ISO 5182, where Chromium Copper is classified into two A-type categories. Here, items such as composition, shape, hardness, electrical conductivity, and softening characteristic temperature are described. Particularly significant differences are the content of metals such as chromium and zirconium, which are specified in detail: Cr: 0.3%~1.2% for CuCr1, Cr: 0.5~1.4% and Zr: 0.02~0.2% for CuCr1Zr, and Cr: 0.4~1.0% and Zr: 0.02~0.15% for CuCrZr.