Method for making a aluminum nickel base alloy electrical conductor

• US 3,967,983 A
• Filed: 02/21/1974
• Issued: 07/06/1976
• Est. Priority Date: 07/06/1971
• Status: Expired due to Term

• Current Assignee: Southwire Company
• Original Assignee: Southwire Company
• Inventors: Schoerner, Roger J., Chia, Enrique C.
• Primary Examiner(s): Dean, R.
• Application Number:
  US05/444,497
• Time in Patent Office: 866 Days
• Field of Search: 75/138, 75/139, 75/140, 75/141, 75/142, 75/143, 75/144, 75/146, 75/147, 75/148, 148/2, 148/3, 148/32, 29/527.7, 29/193, 164/57, 164/76
• US Class Current: 148/550
• CPC Class Codes: C22C 21/00 Alloys based on aluminium
• CPC Class Codes: C22F 1/04 of aluminium or alloys based thereon
• CPC Class Codes: Y10S 428/923 Physical dimension
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 29/49991 Combined with rolling
• CPC Class Codes: Y10T 428/12 All metal or with adjacent metals

Abstract

Aluminum alloy electrical conductors are produced from aluminum base alloys containing from about 0.55 percent to about 0.95 percent by weight nickel, optionally up to about 2.00 percent of additional alloying elements, and from about 97.45 percent to about 99.45 percent by weight aluminum. The alloy conductors have an electrical conductivity of at least 57 percent, 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

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

A. alloying 0.60% Nickel, 0.30% Niobium, 0.18% Tantalum, and the remainder 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 a tensile strength of at least 12,000 psi, and a yield strength of at least 8,000 psi when measured as a fully annealed wire, and has good thermal stability characteristics.

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

A. alloying 0.80% Nickel, 0.60% Zirconium, and the remainder 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 a tensile strength of at least 12,000 psi, and a yield strength of at least 8,000 psi when measured as a fully annealed wire, and has good thermal stability characteristics.

3. Method of preparing an aluminum base alloy electrical conductor having a minimum conductivity of 57% IACS, a tensile strength of at least 12,000 psi, a yield strength of at least 8,000 psi, and good thermal stability characteristics comprising the steps of:

a. alloying 0.60% Nickel, 0.30% Niobium, 0.18% Tantalum, and the remainder Aluminum with associated trace elements;

b. casting the alloy into a continuous bar in a moving mold formed by a groove in the periphery of a casting wheel and a belt lying adjacent the groove along a portion of the periphery of the wheel;

c. hot-working the cast bar substantially immediately after casting while the bar is in substantially that condition as cast to form a continuous rod;

d. drawing the continuous rod through a series of wire-drawing dies with no preliminary or intermediate anneals to form wire having nickel aluminate inclusions dispersed therein the majority of which are less than 2 microns in length and less than 1/2 micron in width; and

e. annealing or partially annealing the wire.

4. Method of preparing an aluminum base alloy electrical conductor having a minimum conductivity of 57% IACS, a tensile strength of at least 12,000 psi, a yield strength of at least 8,000 psi, and good thermal stability characteristics comprising the steps of:

a. alloying 0.80% Nickel, 0.60% Zirconium, and the remainder Aluminum with associated trace elements;

b. casting the alloy into a continuous bar in a moving mold formed by a groove in the periphery of a casting wheel and a belt lying adjacent the groove along a portion of the periphery of the wheel;

c. hot-working the cast bar substantially immediately after casting while the bar is in substantially that condition as cast to form a continuous rod;

d. drawing the continuous rod through a series of wire-drawing dies with no preliminary or intermediate anneals to form wire having nickel aluminate inclusions dispersed therein the majority of which are less than 2 microns in length and less than 1/2 micron in width; and

e. annealing or partially annealing the wire.