Claims
- 1. Method for manufacturing high strength, high conductivity copper alloy wire, which comprises:
- providing a copper alloy wire having a gage of 0.25 inch or less and consisting essentially of chromium from 0.15-1.30%, zirconium from 0.01-0.15%, balance essentially copper;
- first heat treating said wire for at least one minute at a temperature of 1600-1800.degree. F.;
- first cold working said alloy to an intermediate gage of 0.030 to 0.125 inch;
- second heat treating said alloy for 15 minutes to 10 hours at 600-1000.degree. F.;
- finally cold working said alloy to final gage of 0.010 inch or less;
- finally heat treating said alloy for 15 minutes to 10 hours at 600-1000.degree. F.; and
- wherein a major portion of the chromium and zirconium are present as precipitated, sub-micron sized particles in a copper matrix, wherein said particles are substantially uniformly distributed in a copper matrix; and wherein said wire has a tensile strength of at least 55 ksi, an electrical conductivity of at least 85% IACS, and a minimum elongation of 6% in ten inches.
- 2. Method according to claim 1, wherein after the second heat treating step but before the final cold working step, the alloy wire is cold worked to a gage of greater than 0.03 inch, followed by heat treating.
- 3. Method according to claim 1, including a controlled cooling step after the first heat treating step.
- 4. Method according to claim 1, wherein said cold working steps are drawing steps.
- 5. Method according to claim 4, wherein the first heat treating step is from one minute to 2 hours at a gage of from 0.08 to 0.25 inch.
- 6. Method according to claim 4, wherein said first cold working step is to an intermediate gage of 0.040 to 0.080 inch.
- 7. Method according to claim 4, wherein said second heat treating step is for 30 minutes to 4 hours.
- 8. Method according to claim 3, wherein the alloy wire is quenched after the first heat treating step.
- 9. Method according to claim 4, wherein said alloy wire contains at least one of silicon, magnesium and tin in an amount of up to 0.1% each.
- 10. Method according to claim 4, wherein the resultant wire has a tensile strength of at least 60 ksi, an electrical conductivity of at least 90% IACS, and a minimum elongation of 7%.
Parent Case Info
This is a Division, of application Ser. 08/928,844, filed Sep. 12, 1997.
US Referenced Citations (2)
Number |
Name |
Date |
Kind |
4755235 |
Matidori et al. |
Jul 1988 |
|
4872048 |
Akutsu et al. |
Oct 1989 |
|
Divisions (1)
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Number |
Date |
Country |
Parent |
928844 |
Sep 1997 |
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