Copper & Alloys Heat Treatment Services

Copper is one of the most useful metals known to man, and it was one of the first to be utilized. Copper is a reddish-yellow material and is extremely ductile. Copper has a face-centered-cubic (fcc) crystal structure and has the second best electrical conductivity of the metals, second only to silver compared to which it has a conductivity of 97%. There are as many as 400 different copper and copper-alloy compositions loosely grouped into the categories: copper, high copper alloy, brasses, bronzes, copper nickels, coppernickelzinc (nickel silver), leaded copper, and special alloys.

Heat treatment of copper alloys involves several processes to enhance their properties such as strength, ductility, and electrical conductivity. Here are the main heat treatment techniques used for copper alloys:

1. HOMOGENISING
Purpose : To dissolve and absorb segregation and coring found in cast and hot-worked materials.
Process : Heating the alloy to a high temperature for an extended period.
Applications : Commonly used for tin bronzes, silicon bronzes, and copper-nickels.

2.  ANNEALING
Purpose : To soften the metal, improve ductility, and relieve internal stresses.
Process : Heating the material to a specific temperature and then cooling it slowly.
Applications : Used for cold-worked metals to induce recrystallization and grain growth.

3. STRESS RELIEVING
Purpose : To reduce residual stresses in the material without significantly altering its mechanical properties.
Process : Heating the alloy to a lower temperature and then cooling it slowly.
Applications : Used after cold working or welding to prevent distortion and cracking.

4.  PRECIPITATION HARDENING (AGE HARDENING)
Purpose  : To increase the strength and hardness of the alloy.
Process : Solution heat treatment followed by aging at a lower temperature.
Applications  : Used for alloys like beryllium copper, which gain strength through the precipitation of fine particles within the metal matrix.

5. SOLUTION HEAT TREATMENT
Purpose : To create a homogenous structure by dissolving alloying elements.
Process  : Heating the alloy to a high temperature and then quenching it rapidly.
Applications : Used for alloys that require uniform distribution of alloying elements.

These heat treatment processes help tailor the properties of copper alloys for specific applications, such as electrical conductors, automotive parts, and construction materials.