Copper: uses, applications-Metalpedia

Copper is a kind of non-ferrous metal which has long been closely connected to human beings. Not only are there abundant resources in nature, but copper also possesses excellent properties. Therefore, it is widely used in electrical power, electronics, energy, petrochemicals, transportation, machinery, metallurgy, light and other new industries and some high-tech fields.

Electric power transmission, such as wire and cable, transformers, switches, plug components and connectors, etc.; motor manufacturing, for instance as a stator, rotor, shaft head and hollow wire, etc.; communication cables and residential electrical circuits also need to use a large quantity of copper wires.

Vacuum electronic devices such as high frequency and ultra high frequency tubes, crossing the catheter, magnetron, etc. Copper printed circuits require a lot of copper foil and copper base brazing material. In integrated circuits, copper replaces aluminum in silicon chips for interconnection and lead frames.

Main condenser tubes and plates are made from brass, bronze and cupronickel in coal-fired power stations within the energy industry. Solar heaters are also often made of copper tube. Different kinds of containers for holding corrosive mediums, pipe systems, filters, pumps and valves, all sorts of evaporators and condensers, while heat exchangers are made from copper and copper alloy in the petrochemical industry. For its corrosion resistance and as soluble copper ions in water it has an antiseptic effect which could protect marine organisms from being polluted; copper and its alloys have been widely used in desalinators and offshore drilling platforms and other undersea installations.

Copper alloy is used in the shipping industry — including aluminum bronze, manganese bronze, aluminum, brass, gun metal (bronze), tin, zinc, copper and nickel copper alloy (monel), which are all standard materials in shipbuilding. Copper and copper alloy in warships and commercial ships are used commonly to make aluminum bronze propellers, bolts, rivets, condenser pipes, copper coated paint, etc. Copper and copper alloy in the automotive industry are mainly used for radiators, braking systems, hydraulic equipment, gears, bearings, brake linings, power distribution and power systems, gaskets and all kinds of joints, fittings and accessories, etc. On trains, the motors, rectifiers and controls, brakes, electrics and signal systems also rely on copper and its alloys. In addition, railway electrification is a big source of demand for copper and its alloys. The wiring, hydraulic pneumatics and cooling systems of planes all need to use copper. Bearing retainers and gear bearings utilise aluminum bronze pipe, and navigation instruments are made from diamagnetic copper alloy.

All kinds of transmission parts and fixed parts, such as cylinder liners, gears, fittings, fasteners, twisting, etc., need to use copper or copper alloy for antifriction and lubrication. Also a key part of metallurgical equipment in continuous casting technology – crystallizer is mostly made of chromium copper and silver copper or other copper alloys, which have high strength and conductivity. And electric vacuum arc furnaces in metallurgy and electroslag furnace water-cooled crucibles are made of copper pipe, while all kinds of induction coil are made of copper or copper winding. Alloy additive copper is an important additive element in steel and aluminum alloy. By adding a small amount of copper to low alloy structural steel, the hardness of steel and its corrosion resistance in air and water can be improved. The addition of copper in corrosion resistant cast iron and stainless steel means their corrosion resistance can be further improved.

Heat exchangers in air conditioners, clock movements, gridding cloth of paper machines, copper plate printing, fermentation tank lining, distillation pots and architectural decoration components, etc. are all manufactured by using copper and its alloys.

Uses such as coating of superconducting alloys, containers and pipelines of cryogenic medium, cooling linings of rocket engines and magnet windings in high-energy accelerators, etc.