Processing copper-magnesium alloys and improved copper alloy wire

• US 20040238086A1
• Filed: 05/27/2003
• Published: 12/02/2004
• Est. Priority Date: 05/27/2003
• Status: Abandoned Application

• Current Assignee: Fisk Alloy Wire, Inc.
• Original Assignee: Fisk Alloy Wire, Inc.
• Inventors: Saleh, Joseph
• Application Number:
  US10/445,717
• Publication Number:
  US 20040238086A1
• Time in Patent Office: Days
• US Class Current: 148/684
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 9/00 Alloys based on copper
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/08 of copper or alloys based thereon

Abstract

In accordance with the present invention, a copper alloy wire having high strength and high conductivity is provided. The copper alloy wire is formed from a copper base alloy containing from 0.05 to 0.9 wt % magnesium and more than 15 ppm impurities in total. The wire has a single end diameter no greater than 0.10 inches, a tensile strength of at least 100 ksi, and an electrical conductivity greater than 60% IACS. A process for producing the copper wire of the present invention is also described.

Claims

1. A copper alloy wire having high strength and high conductivity which comprises a copper alloy containing from 0.05 to 0.9 wt % magnesium and more than 15 ppm impurities in total, said wire having a single end diameter less than 0.010 inches, a tensile strength of at least 100 ksi, and an electrical conductivity greater than 60% IACS.

2. A copper alloy wire according to claim 1, wherein said tensile strength is at least 110 ksi.

3. A copper alloy wire according to claim 1, wherein said electrical conductivity is greater than 70% IACS.

4. A copper alloy wire according to claim 1, wherein said copper alloy also contains from 0.01 to 0.3 wt % phosphorous.

5. A copper alloy wire according to claim 4, wherein said phosphorous is present in an amount from 0.01 to 0.15 wt % and said magnesium is present in an amount from 0.1 to 0.4 wt %.

6. A copper alloy wire according to claim 4, wherein a majority of particles of said phosphorous are submicron in size.

7. A copper alloy wire according to claim 1, wherein said copper alloy also contains at least one additional constituent selected from the group consisting of from 0.01 to 1.0 wt % iron, from 0.01 to 0.5 wt % nickel, from 0.01 to 0.3 wt % phosphorous, from 0.01 to 0.2 wt % silver, from 0.01 to 0.2 wt % tin, and from 0.01 to 0.5 wt % zinc.

8. A copper alloy wire according to claim 7, wherein said at least one additional constituent includes iron in an amount from 0.01 to 0.5 wt %.

9. A copper alloy wire according to claim 7, wherein said at least one additional constituent includes tin in an amount from 0.01 to 0.1 wt %.

10. A copper alloy wire according to claim 7, wherein said at least one additional constituent includes phosphorous in an amount from 0.02 to 0.15 wt %.

11. A copper alloy wire according to claim 1, wherein said wire is in a restructuring annealed and cold worked condition.

12. A copper alloy wire according to claim 1, wherein said single end diameter is greater than 0.002 inches.

13. A copper alloy having high strength and high conductivity which comprises a copper alloy consisting of from 0.05 to 0.9 wt % magnesium, 0.01 to 0.3 wt % phosphorous, and the balance copper and more than 15 ppm impurities in total, said wire having a single end diameter no greater than 0.010 inches, a tensile strength of at least 100 ksi, and an electrical conductivity greater than 70% IACS.

14. A copper alloy according to claim 13, wherein said phosphorous content is in the range of from 0.01 to 0.15 wt %, and said tensile strength is at least 110 ksi.

15. A copper alloy wire having high strength and high conductivity which comprises a copper alloy consisting of from 0.05 to 0.9 wt % magnesium, at least one constituent selected from the group consisting of from 0.01 to 1.0 wt % iron, from 0.01 to 0.5 wt % nickel, from 0.01 to 0.3 wt % phosphorous, from 0.01 to 0.2 wt % silver, from 0.01 to 0.2 wt % tin, and from 0.01 to 0.5 wt % zinc, and the balance copper and more than 15 ppm impurities in total, said wire having a single end diameter no greater than 0.010 inches, a tensile strength of at least 100 ksi, and an electrical conductivity greater than 70% IACS.

16. A process for manufacturing a copper alloy wire having high strength and high conductivity comprising the steps of:

providing a base material formed from a copper alloy containing from 0.05 to 0.9 wt % magnesium and more than 15 ppm impurities in total;

cold working said base material into a wire having at least a 40% reduction in original cross section area;

performing a restructuring anneal after said cold working step; and

cold working said annealed material into a wire having a final gage of no greater than 0.010 inches.

17. A process according to claim 16, wherein said restructuring anneal is performed after said base material has been cold worked into a wire having at least a 70% reduction in said original cross section area.

18. A process according to claim 16, wherein said restructuring anneal is performed at a temperature in the range of 650 to 1050°

F. for a time period in the range of 1 to 5 hours.

19. A process according to claim 18, wherein said restructuring anneal is performed at a temperature in the range of 750 to 900°

F. for a time period in the range of 2 to 3 hours.

20. A process according to claim 16, wherein said base material providing step comprises providing material formed from a copper alloy consisting of from 0.05 to 0.9 wt % magnesium and the balance copper and more than 15 ppm impurities in total.

21. A process according to claim 16, wherein said base material providing step comprises providing material formed from a copper alloy consisting of from 0.05 to 0.9 wt % magnesium, from 0.01 to 0.3 wt % phosphorous, and the balance copper and more than 15 ppm impurities in total.

22. A process according to claim 16, wherein said base material providing step comprises providing material formed from a copper alloy consisting of from 0.05 to 0.9 wt % magnesium, at least one constituent selected from the group consisting of from 0.01 to 1.0 wt % iron, from 0.01 to 0.5 wt % nickel, from 0.01 to 0.3 wt % phosphorous, from 0.01 to 0.2 wt % silver, from 0.01 to 0.2 wt % tin, and from 0.01 to 0.5 wt % zinc, and the balance copper and more than 15 ppm impurities in total.

23. A process according to claim 16, wherein said final gage cold working step comprises cold working said annealed material into a wire having a diameter less than 0.010 inches.

24. A non-cadmium containing copper alloy wire having high strength and high conductivity which comprises a copper alloy containing from 0.05 to 0.9 wt % magnesium and more than 15 ppm impurities in total, said single end wire having a diameter no greater than 0.10 inches, a tensile strength of at least 100 ksi, and an electrical conductivity greater than 60% IACS.