Abstract

The mechanical and physical properties of wrought copper and wrought copper alloys are surveyed according to alloy composition and the temper to which the alloys are processed. Properties important for manufacturing include: formability (bending, drawing, and springback) joining (welding, brazing, and soldering) machinability, and resistances to softening and hydrogen embrittlement. Properties relating to performance of manufactured products are strength, electrical and thermal conductivities, solderability, and resistances to stress relaxation, fatigue failure, and corrosion.

Alloy designations are defined and tensile properties of alloys within the several compositional groups are provided. Wrought copper (99.3% minimum copper); the high coppers (no < 96% copper); zinc and tin brasses; tin, aluminum, and silicon bronzes; specially modified copper–zinc alloys; copper nickels; and nickel silvers are discussed together with the several commercially available precipitation hardenable alloys that are distributed among the compositional groupings. Selected applications and the relative costs of commercial alloys are discussed.