ALUMINUM ALLOY ELECTRICAL CONDUCTOR

• US 3,807,969 A
• Filed: 12/01/1970
• Issued: 04/30/1974
• Est. Priority Date: 07/13/1970
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Southwire Company
• Original Assignee: Enrique C. Chia, Roger J. Schoerner
• Inventors: Schoerner, Roger J., Chia, Enrique C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dean, Richard O.
• Application Number:
  US05/094,177
• Time in Patent Office: 1,246 Days
• Field of Search: 75/138-148 148/32,32.5,2,11.5A 29/193,193.5,527.7 164/76
• US Class Current: 420/537
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/00 Alloys based on aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: H01B 1/023 Alloys based on aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49991 Combined with rolling

Abstract

Aluminum alloy electrical conductors are produced from aluminum base alloys containing from about 0.20% to about 1.60% by weight cobalt, about 0.30% to about 1.30% nickel, optionally up to about 2.0% of additional alloying elements, and from about 97.0% to about 99.5% by weight aluminum. The alloy conductors have an electrical conductivity of at least 57%, based on the International Annealed Copper Standard (IACS), and improved properties of increased thermal stability, tensile strength, percent ultimate elongation, ductility, fatigue resistance and yield strength as compared to conventional aluminum alloys of similar electrical properties.

Claims

2. Aluminum alloy electrical conductor of claim 1, further including an additional alloying element selected from the group consisting of magnesium and iron, in an amount ranging from 0.001 to 1.0 weight percent.

3. Aluminum alloy electrical conductor of claim 1, further including iron as an additional alloying element in an amount ranging from about 0.1% to about 0.5%.

4. Aluminum alloy electrical conductor of claim 1, further including magnesium as an additional alloying element in an amount ranging from about 0.1% to about 0.5%.

5. Aluminum alloy electrical conductor according to claim 1, wherein the weight percentages of the constituents are as follows:

6. Aluminum alloy electrical conductor according to claim 1 wherein the weight percentages of the constituents are as follows:

7. Aluminum alloy electrical conductor according to claim 1 wherein the weight percentages of the constituents are as follows:

8. Aluminum alloy electrical conductor according to claim 1 wherein the weight percentages of the constituents are as follows:

9. The aluminum alloy electrical conductor of claim 1 wherein said conductor is in the form of a rod.

10. The aluminum alloy electrical conductor according to claim 1 wherein said conductor is in the form of a wire.

11. Method of preparing an aluminum alloy conductor having a minimum conductivity of at least 57% IACS comprising the steps of:

A. alloying from about 0.20 to about 1.60 weight percent cobalt with about 0.30 to about 1.30 weight percent nickel, the remainder being aluminum with associated trace elements;

B. casting the alloy in a moving mold formed between a groove in the periphery of a rotating casting wheel and a metal belt lying adjacent said groove for a portion of its length;

C. hot rolling the cast alloy substantiaLly immediately after casting while the cast alloy is in substantially that condition as cast to form a continuous rod;

said aluminum alloy conductor having the following properties when measured as No. 10 A.W.G. fully annealed wire;

12. Method of preparing an aluminum alloy conductor in accordance with claim 11 including the further step of drawing said conductor through wire-drawing dies, without annealing the conductor between drawing dies, to form wire.

13. The method according to claim 11 wherein the alloying step also includes the addition of alloying agents taken from the group consisting of iron and magnesium, in an amount ranging from 0.001 to 1.0%, by weight.

14. The method according to claim 13 wherein said additional alloying element is iron in an amount ranging from about 0.1% to about 0.5%, by weight.

15. The method according to claim 13 wherein said additional alloying element is magnesium in an amount ranging from about 0.1% to about 0.5%, by weight.

16. The method according to claim 11 wherein the alloying step also includes the addition of magnesium in an amount sufficient to yield an alloy having the following weight percentages:

17. The method according to claim 11 wherein the alloying step also includes the addition of iron in an amount sufficient to yield an alloy having the following weight percentages:

18. The method according to claim 11 wherein the alloying step also includes the addition of misch metal in an amount sufficient to yield an alloy having the following weight percentages:

19. The method according to claim 11 wherein the alloying step also includes the addition of niobium and tantalum in an amount sufficient to yield an alloy having the following weight percentages:

20. The method according to claim 11 wherein the alloying step also includes the addition of copper and silicon in an amount sufficient to yield an alloy having the following weight percentages:

21. The method according to claim 11 wherein the alloying step also includes the addition of zirconium in an amount sufficient to yield an alloy having the following weight percentages:

22. Aluminum alloy electrical conductor of claim 1 wherein the weight percentage of the constituents are as follows:

23. Aluminum alloy electrical conductor of claim 1 wherein the weight percentages of the constituents are as follows:

24. Aluminum alloy rod of claim 9 wherein the weight percentages of the constituents are as follows:

25. Aluminum alloy rod of claim 9 wherein the weight percentages of the constituents are as follows:

26. Aluminum alloy electrical conductor having a minimum conductivity of 57% IACS consisting essentially of from about 0.20 to about 1.60 weight percent cobalt, from about 0.30 to about 1.30 weight percent nickel, the remainder being aluminum with associated trace elements, said aluminum alloy electrical conductor having the following properties when measured a a fully annealed wire:

Tensile strength;

at least 12,000 psi Yield strength;

at least 8,000 psi.