US3717511A - Process for making hardenable copper alloy products - Google Patents

Process for making hardenable copper alloy products Download PDF

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Publication number
US3717511A
US3717511A US00752499A US3717511DA US3717511A US 3717511 A US3717511 A US 3717511A US 00752499 A US00752499 A US 00752499A US 3717511D A US3717511D A US 3717511DA US 3717511 A US3717511 A US 3717511A
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alloy
copper
hardenable copper
copper alloy
annealing temperature
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US00752499A
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H Wallbaum
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KM Kabelmetal AG
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KM Kabelmetal AG
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    • H—ELECTRICITY
    • H01—ELECTRIC ELEMENTS
    • H01B—CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES
    • H01B1/00—Conductors or conductive bodies characterised by the conductive materials; Selection of materials as conductors
    • H01B1/02—Conductors or conductive bodies characterised by the conductive materials; Selection of materials as conductors mainly consisting of metals or alloys
    • H01B1/026—Alloys based on copper
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22C—ALLOYS
    • C22C9/00—Alloys based on copper
    • C—CHEMISTRY; METALLURGY
    • C22—METALLURGY; FERROUS OR NON-FERROUS ALLOYS; TREATMENT OF ALLOYS OR NON-FERROUS METALS
    • C22F—CHANGING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF NON-FERROUS METALS AND NON-FERROUS ALLOYS
    • C22F1/00—Changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by heat treatment or by hot or cold working
    • C22F1/08—Changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by heat treatment or by hot or cold working of copper or alloys based thereon

Definitions

  • Copper alloys having a small zirconium content of the order of 0.1 to 5.0% have been heated to temperatures in the range of from 700 to 1000 C., at which temperature the alloy is solution annealed, the heated alloy then being quenched.
  • copper-zirconium alloys having a zirconium content of the order of 0.01 to 0.15% be quenched after solution annealing, followed by cold working to reduce the cross sectional area thereof.
  • Such alloys are suitable as conducting elements such as commutator segments in electric motors where optimum mechanical strength of the material perpendicular to the direction of forming the material is important.
  • semi-finished materials such as rods, wires, etc., such a procedure is without advantage, since the ordinate of the perpendicular direction cannot be clearly defined.
  • an object of this invention is to provide an improved procedure for making semi-finished materials from hardenable copper alloys wherein the cast alloy in its heated condition is brounght to its solution annealing temperature and at such temperature the alloy is Worked to reduce the cross sectional area thereof to a desired form and immediately thereafter is quenched.
  • Another object of this invention is to provide a procedure of the character described wherein the heating of the alloy to effect solution of the alloying constituents is also used in the working of forming operation, to thereby reduce manufacturing costs and to improve the quality of the product as by producing a fine grain structure, rather then the coarse grain structure produced when hot pre-formed material is separately solution-annealed.
  • a further object of this invention is to provide a procedure of the character described wherein the immediate quenching of the hot material after it has been worked in the hot state, is effective to eliminate oxygen absorption along the surface of the metal. Such oxygen absorption leads to embrittlement of the skin surface when exposed to hydrogen at elevated temperatures, as in a brazing operation, unless the outer layer is later removed in a separate machining operation.
  • Still another object of this invention is to provide a procedure of the character described whereinafter the quenching step, to further treat the alloy product in successive heat hardening, cold-forming and additional heat hardening steps.
  • the quenching step to further treat the alloy product in successive heat hardening, cold-forming and additional heat hardening steps.
  • the process of the instant invention is useful for making roller electrodes used for electric resistance welding.
  • An alloy for such purpose consists of 0.6% chromium with the balance copper.
  • the rollers are made from cast billets or compressed rod material and are hot compressed when the material has been heated to its solution-annealing temperature. The resultant discs are quenched immediately after hot compression.
  • the rollers show a constant fine grain structure across the entire cross-section of the material with grain sizes of 25-60 microns.
  • the article also exhibits a substantial increase in hardness.
  • Typical heat hardenable copper alloys which may be used with the process of the instant invention, include:
  • a copper-chromium-zirconium alloy having a content of 0.6% chromium; 0.1% zirconium, with the balance copper.
  • the solution annealing temperature is above 950 C.
  • a method of converting a heat hardenable copper alloy to a semi-finished form comprising heating said alloy in its cast state to its solution-annealing temperature, immediately working the heated alloy to a predetermined semi-finished form of reduced cross sectional area, and immediately thereafter quenching the same.

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  • Chemical & Material Sciences (AREA)
  • Engineering & Computer Science (AREA)
  • Materials Engineering (AREA)
  • Mechanical Engineering (AREA)
  • Metallurgy (AREA)
  • Organic Chemistry (AREA)
  • Physics & Mathematics (AREA)
  • Thermal Sciences (AREA)
  • Crystallography & Structural Chemistry (AREA)
  • Heat Treatment Of Articles (AREA)
  • Conductive Materials (AREA)
  • Lead Frames For Integrated Circuits (AREA)
  • Extrusion Moulding Of Plastics Or The Like (AREA)

Abstract

A METHOD OF IMPROVING THE PROPERTIES OF HEAT HARDENABLE COPPER ALLOYS BY HEATING THE ALLOY IN ITS ORIGINAL CAST FORM TO ITS SOLUTION ANNEALING TEMPERATURE, WORKING THE HEATED ALLOY TO A SELECTED SEMI-FINISHED CROSS SECTION AND IMMEDIATELY THEREAFTER QUENCHING THE ALLOY IN ITS WORKED FORM TO THEREBY OBTAIN A FINE GRAIN STRUCTURE GIVING RISE TO IMPROVED MECHANICAL AND ELECTRICAL PROPERTIES.

Description

United States Patent O 3,717,511 PROCESS FOR MAKING HARDENABLE COPPER ALLOY PRODUCTS Hans-Joachim Wallbaum, Osnabruck, Germany, assignor to Kabelund Metallwerke Gutehoifnungnutte Aktiengesellschaft, Hannover, Germany No Drawing. Filed Aug. 14, 1968, Ser. No. 752,499 Claims priority, application Germany, Aug. 16, 1967, P 15 58 790.3 Int. Cl. C22f 1/08 U.S. Cl. 148-115 R 1 Claim ABSTRACT OF THE DISCLOSURE A method of improving the properties of heat hardenable copper alloys by heating the alloy in its original cast form to its solution annealing temperature, working the heated alloy to a selected semi-finished cross section and immediately thereafter quenching the alloy in its worked form to thereby obtain a fine grain structure giving rise to improved mechanical and electrical properties.
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION Copper alloys having a small zirconium content of the order of 0.1 to 5.0% have been heated to temperatures in the range of from 700 to 1000 C., at which temperature the alloy is solution annealed, the heated alloy then being quenched.
Also, it has been suggested that copper-zirconium alloys having a zirconium content of the order of 0.01 to 0.15% be quenched after solution annealing, followed by cold working to reduce the cross sectional area thereof. Such alloys are suitable as conducting elements such as commutator segments in electric motors where optimum mechanical strength of the material perpendicular to the direction of forming the material is important. However, for semi-finished materials such as rods, wires, etc., such a procedure is without advantage, since the ordinate of the perpendicular direction cannot be clearly defined.
Accordingly, an object of this invention is to provide an improved procedure for making semi-finished materials from hardenable copper alloys wherein the cast alloy in its heated condition is brounght to its solution annealing temperature and at such temperature the alloy is Worked to reduce the cross sectional area thereof to a desired form and immediately thereafter is quenched.
Another object of this invention is to provide a procedure of the character described wherein the heating of the alloy to effect solution of the alloying constituents is also used in the working of forming operation, to thereby reduce manufacturing costs and to improve the quality of the product as by producing a fine grain structure, rather then the coarse grain structure produced when hot pre-formed material is separately solution-annealed.
A further object of this invention is to provide a procedure of the character described wherein the immediate quenching of the hot material after it has been worked in the hot state, is effective to eliminate oxygen absorption along the surface of the metal. Such oxygen absorption leads to embrittlement of the skin surface when exposed to hydrogen at elevated temperatures, as in a brazing operation, unless the outer layer is later removed in a separate machining operation.
Still another object of this invention is to provide a procedure of the character described whereinafter the quenching step, to further treat the alloy product in successive heat hardening, cold-forming and additional heat hardening steps. Thus, with such procedures, one may achieve maximum electrical conductivity with maximum tensile strength and hardness.
DESCRIPTION OF THE PREFERRED EMBODIMENTS The process of the instant invention is useful for making roller electrodes used for electric resistance welding. An alloy for such purpose consists of 0.6% chromium with the balance copper. The rollers are made from cast billets or compressed rod material and are hot compressed when the material has been heated to its solution-annealing temperature. The resultant discs are quenched immediately after hot compression. The rollers show a constant fine grain structure across the entire cross-section of the material with grain sizes of 25-60 microns. The article also exhibits a substantial increase in hardness.
In the manufacture of semi-conductor systems and particularly in the case of base members for carrying the semi-conductors which must show good mechanical strength, good conductivity and non-porosity; it is advantageous to utilize a billet of a well known copper-zirconium alloy. Such billet is brought by inductive heating to its solution-annealing temperature and is then isothermically extruded to form rods which are immediately thereafter quenched in water.
Thus, the individual steps of solution-annealing and quenching are combined with the hot forming of the cast metal to obtain the desired properties. Such procedure avoids coarse grain structure and a reduction in quality.
Typical heat hardenable copper alloys which may be used with the process of the instant invention, include:
(1) a copper-chromium-zirconium alloy having a content of 0.6% chromium; 0.1% zirconium, with the balance copper. The solution annealing temperature is above 950 C.
(2) a copper-Zirconium alloy having a content of 0.15% zirconium, balance copper. The solution annealing temperature is above 800 C.
(3) a copper-nickel-s-ilicon alloy having a content of 1.3% nickel; 0.5% silicon, balance copper. The solution annealing temperature is above 750 C.
(4) a copper-cobalt-bery1lium alloy having a content of 2.5% cobalt; 0.6% beryllium, balance copper. The solution annealing temperature is above 880 C.
It is understood that the essential steps of the process of the instant invention, as set forth above, may be followed successively by heat hardening, cold forming, and a second heat hardening step. Also, such steps may be followed by a cold hardening step.
I claim:
1. A method of converting a heat hardenable copper alloy to a semi-finished form, said alloy consisting of copper and a metal additive, said additive being zirconium in the amount of 0.1% to 5.0% by weight, comprising heating said alloy in its cast state to its solution-annealing temperature, immediately working the heated alloy to a predetermined semi-finished form of reduced cross sectional area, and immediately thereafter quenching the same.
(References on following page) 3 4 References Cited 2,225,339 12/1940 Harrington 14s -12.1 2,275,188 3/1942 Harrington 14s-12.7 1729 208 SCZATES PATENTS 148 127 2,286,734 6/1942 Harrington 148---12.7 e r8011 2 ,935 4/150 .5 1,992,325 2/1935 Schaarwfichter 148-12.? 504 9 148 11 2,075,509 3/1937 D vi et 5 WAYLAND w. STALLARD, Primary Examiner 2,123,629 7/1938 Hensel et a1. 148-12.7
2,126,827 8/1938 Smith 14812.7 US. Cl. X.R. 2,257,708 9/1941 Stott 148-12.7 148--12.7
US00752499A 1967-08-16 1968-08-14 Process for making hardenable copper alloy products Expired - Lifetime US3717511A (en)

Applications Claiming Priority (1)

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DE1558790A DE1558790B2 (en) 1967-08-16 1967-08-16 Process for the production of roller electrodes for electrical resistance welding

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US3717511A true US3717511A (en) 1973-02-20

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US (1) US3717511A (en)
BE (1) BE719267A (en)
CH (1) CH505207A (en)
DE (1) DE1558790B2 (en)
FI (1) FI49323C (en)
FR (1) FR1578403A (en)
GB (1) GB1239606A (en)
NL (1) NL6811556A (en)
NO (1) NO123478B (en)
SE (1) SE339574B (en)

Cited By (12)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3969156A (en) * 1975-04-23 1976-07-13 Kabel-Und Metallwerke Gutehoffnungshutte Aktiengesellschaft Method of making dispersion strengthened products
US4047980A (en) * 1976-10-04 1977-09-13 Olin Corporation Processing chromium-containing precipitation hardenable copper base alloys
US4194928A (en) * 1978-02-21 1980-03-25 Olin Corporation Corrosion resistant copper base alloys for heat exchanger tube
US4224066A (en) * 1979-06-26 1980-09-23 Olin Corporation Copper base alloy and process
US4533412A (en) * 1982-09-30 1985-08-06 Fdx Patents Holding Company, N.V. Thermal-mechanical treatment for copper alloys
US4755235A (en) * 1979-07-30 1988-07-05 Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Electrically conductive precipitation hardened copper alloy and a method for manufacturing the same
US4810310A (en) * 1986-05-27 1989-03-07 Olin Corporation Composites having improved resistance to stress relaxation
US5391243A (en) * 1992-05-08 1995-02-21 Mitsubishi Materials Corporation Method for producing wire for electric railways
JP2537301B2 (en) 1990-08-31 1996-09-25 株式会社東芝 Electronic component manufacturing method
US5705125A (en) * 1992-05-08 1998-01-06 Mitsubishi Materials Corporation Wire for electric railways
US20120007467A1 (en) * 2010-07-12 2012-01-12 Raven Wai Kei Mok Commutator
CN115852187A (en) * 2022-11-28 2023-03-28 陕西斯瑞新材料股份有限公司 Copper-zirconium alloy conducting bar for traction motor rotor and preparation method thereof

Families Citing this family (1)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
FR2787676B1 (en) * 1998-12-18 2001-01-19 Soudure Autogene Francaise WEAR PIECE FOR ARC WORKING TORCH MADE OF ALLOYED COPPER

Cited By (14)

* Cited by examiner, † Cited by third party
Publication number Priority date Publication date Assignee Title
US3969156A (en) * 1975-04-23 1976-07-13 Kabel-Und Metallwerke Gutehoffnungshutte Aktiengesellschaft Method of making dispersion strengthened products
US4047980A (en) * 1976-10-04 1977-09-13 Olin Corporation Processing chromium-containing precipitation hardenable copper base alloys
US4194928A (en) * 1978-02-21 1980-03-25 Olin Corporation Corrosion resistant copper base alloys for heat exchanger tube
US4224066A (en) * 1979-06-26 1980-09-23 Olin Corporation Copper base alloy and process
US4755235A (en) * 1979-07-30 1988-07-05 Tokyo Shibaura Denki Kabushiki Kaisha Electrically conductive precipitation hardened copper alloy and a method for manufacturing the same
US4533412A (en) * 1982-09-30 1985-08-06 Fdx Patents Holding Company, N.V. Thermal-mechanical treatment for copper alloys
US4810310A (en) * 1986-05-27 1989-03-07 Olin Corporation Composites having improved resistance to stress relaxation
JP2537301B2 (en) 1990-08-31 1996-09-25 株式会社東芝 Electronic component manufacturing method
US5391243A (en) * 1992-05-08 1995-02-21 Mitsubishi Materials Corporation Method for producing wire for electric railways
US5705125A (en) * 1992-05-08 1998-01-06 Mitsubishi Materials Corporation Wire for electric railways
US20120007467A1 (en) * 2010-07-12 2012-01-12 Raven Wai Kei Mok Commutator
US9035529B2 (en) * 2010-07-12 2015-05-19 Johnston Electric S.A. Commutator having a plurality of commutator segments and method for making the same
CN115852187A (en) * 2022-11-28 2023-03-28 陕西斯瑞新材料股份有限公司 Copper-zirconium alloy conducting bar for traction motor rotor and preparation method thereof
CN115852187B (en) * 2022-11-28 2024-03-22 陕西斯瑞新材料股份有限公司 Copper-zirconium alloy conducting bar for traction motor rotor and preparation method thereof

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GB1239606A (en) 1971-07-21
NL6811556A (en) 1969-02-18
DE1558790A1 (en) 1970-05-06
FI49323C (en) 1975-05-12
CH505207A (en) 1971-03-31
FI49323B (en) 1975-01-31
DE1558790B2 (en) 1974-12-12
FR1578403A (en) 1969-08-14
BE719267A (en) 1969-01-16
NO123478B (en) 1971-11-22
SE339574B (en) 1971-10-11

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