Copper is a non-ferrous metal with a very close relationship with mankind, not only rich in natural resources and has excellent electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, ductility, corrosion resistance, abrasion resistance and other excellent properties, is widely used in electric power, electronics, energy and petrochemicals, machinery and metallurgy, transportation, light industry, emerging industries and other fields, in China’s non-ferrous metal materials consumption is second only to aluminum.
Power industry
Power transmission such as lines and cables, transformers, switches, plug components and connectors, etc.; motor manufacturing such as stator, rotor, axle head and hollow wire, etc.; communication cables and residential electrical lines also need to use a large number of copper wires.
Electronic industry
Copper foil electro-vacuum devices such as high-frequency and ultra-high-frequency transmitter tubes, ferry conduit, magnetron, etc., they need high-purity oxygen-free copper and diffusion-enhanced oxygen-free copper. Copper printed circuits require large quantities of copper foil and copper-based brazing materials. Copper is used in integrated circuits instead of aluminum in silicon chips for interconnects and lead frames.
Energy and petrochemical industry
The main condenser plates and condenser tubes of thermal power plants in the energy industry are made of brass, bronze or white copper. Solar heaters are also often made from copper tubes. Petrochemical industry copper and many copper alloys, used in large quantities in the manufacture of corrosive media in contact with a variety of containers, piping systems, filters, pumps and valves, a variety of evaporators, heat exchangers and condensers. Marine industry because copper is not only resistant to seawater corrosion, and dissolved in water copper ions have a bactericidal effect, can prevent marine life fouling, therefore, copper and its copper alloy is a very important material in the marine industry, but also has been in the seawater desalination plants, marine oil and gas platforms, as well as other coastal and submarine facilities in a wide range of applications, such as seawater desalination process used in the piping system, pumps and valves, as well as oil and gas platforms on the Equipment used in the desalination process, pumps and valves, and on oil and gas extraction platforms, including bolts, anti-biofouling packages, pumps, valves, and piping systems in splash zones and underwater.
Transportation
Aluminum Bronze in the marine industry Copper alloys including aluminum bronze, manganese bronze, aluminum brass, gunmetal (tin-zinc bronze), white copper and nickel-copper alloys (monel alloys) are among the standard materials used in shipbuilding. In warships and merchant ships copper and copper alloys are generally used as aluminum bronze spirals, bolts, condenser tubes, rivets, copper-containing cladding paints, etc. In the automotive industry copper and copper alloys are mainly used for radiators, brake system piping, hydraulics, gears, bearings, power distribution and electrical systems, brake friction pads, gaskets, and a variety of joints, fittings, and trim. The motors, rectifiers and control, braking, electrical and signaling systems on railroad trains also rely on copper and copper alloys to work. In addition, the electrification of the railroad has a great need for copper and copper alloys. Copper is required for wiring, hydraulic, cooling and pneumatic systems in aircraft, aluminum bronze tubing is used for bearing retainers and landing gear bearings, and antimagnetic copper alloys are applied to navigation instruments.
Mechanical and Metallurgical Industries
Mechanical engineering in addition to motors, circuits, hydraulic systems, pneumatic systems and control systems in a large number of copper, a variety of transmission parts and fixed parts, such as cylinder liners, connectors, fasteners, gears, twisted parts, etc., need to reduce wear and lubrication with copper or copper alloy. Metallurgical equipment continuous casting technology in the key components – crystallizer, most of the chrome copper, silver copper and other high-strength and high thermal conductivity of copper alloy manufacturing, electrometallurgy in the vacuum electric arc furnace and electroslag furnace water-cooled crucible using copper tubing manufacturing, a variety of induction heating of induction coils are made of copper or copper shaped tube winding, water cooling inside. Alloy additivesCopper is an important additive element in alloys such as steel and aluminum. Small amounts of copper added to low-alloy structural steel can improve the steel’s strength and resistance to atmospheric and marine corrosion. Adding copper to corrosion-resistant cast iron and stainless steel can further improve their corrosion resistance.
Applications in light industry
Copper and copper alloys can be used in the manufacture of air conditioner heat exchangers, watch movements, paper machine netting, rollers, printing copper plate, fermentation tank lining, distillation pots, architectural decorative components and so on.
Emerging industries and high-tech fields
Copper is also used in emerging industries and high-tech fields, such as superconducting alloy jacket, ultra-low temperature media containers and pipelines, rocket engine cooling village, high-energy gas pedal magnet windings and so on.
