For copper alloys, the number after the “W” stands for the thermal conductivity at 20° C in W/m*K.

Thermal conductivity in copper alloys describes how well a material can conduct heat – in other words, how quickly temperature differences within the material are equalised. It is particularly important for applications such as plastic moulding, power electronics and cooling components. It is particularly important for applications such as plastic moulding, power electronics and cooling components. It is usually measured using the physical quantity λ (lambda) in W/(m·K), which indicates how much heat flows through one metre of material at a given temperature difference. Pure copper has very high values, whilst alloying elements generally reduce thermal conductivity as they increase electron scattering. In practice, the assessment is often carried out indirectly via electrical conductivity (e.g. in %IACS), as both properties are closely linked.

The terms conductive copper or highly conductive copper alloy describe the property of being able to conduct heat or electricity very well. These properties are used particularly in plastic mould construction and extrusion technology, as mould inserts and mould cores to optimize cycle times and product quality, as well as in numerous other components such as nozzles and blow moulds. These alloys are also used as welding mirrors, tempering elements and electrodes in resistance welding and in mechanical engineering as a whole.

The high-temperature resistance of these alloys is not due to high alloy content, but rather to a specifically engineered, thermally stable precipitation microstructure. While pure copper already loses a significant amount of strength at comparatively low temperatures of around 100°C, high copper alloys such as W200 or W240 retain their mechanical properties even under thermal stress of up to 480°C. After solution heat treatment and subsequent aging, very fine precipitates form in the copper structure of these alloys. These act as effective obstacles to plastic deformation, resulting in high strength values. As these precipitates only grow slowly, even at elevated temperatures of up to 480°C, the hardness and mechanical strength remain stable over a wide temperature range. This is why these alloys are also preferred in applications where high electrical conductivity, wear resistance and thermal stability are required at the same time – for example in resistance welding technology, electrical contacts or in sophisticated electromobility components.

Copper alloys are generally non-magnetic. Pure copper is a non-magnetic metal. If copper is alloyed with other metals, such as with zinc to produce brass or with tin to produce bronze, the alloy also remains non-magnetic in most cases. This is because the added metals are also non-magnetic.

However, some special copper alloys can have magnetic properties if they contain iron or nickel. These metals are ferromagnetic and can influence the magnetic properties of the alloy.

ALBROMET copper alloys are therefore largely non-magnetic, which has advantages in many applications. Chips and metallic dust do not stick. In addition, there is usually no sparking.

Resistance welding is a process in which electrical currents flow through the parts to be joined in order to generate heat and melt and join the material at the joint. Copper and its alloys have excellent electrical and thermal conductivity. These properties enable efficient heat transfer to the welding point, which promotes the formation of a strong and reliable welded joint.

For this reason Copper alloys are very suitable for resistance welding due to their excellent electrical and thermal conductivity as well as their wear resistance. Their high resistance to mechanical wear and sparking also makes them ideal for use in electrodes for resistance welding.

ALBROMET copper alloys do not contain any hazardous substances on the REACH candidate list (SVHC list). The lead content is minimal (< 0.1 percent by mass). This means that the copper alloys are REACH and RoHS compliant. You can find more information here.

Copper alloys are usually produced using traditional smelting processes and further processing of continuous cast billets in forges and press shops. ALBROMET sources the copper alloys mainly in Europe and North America. The ALBROMET warehouse stocks a wide variety of dimensions of round material and sheets, which can be cut to size at short notice.