Copper has been a crucial metal in many ancient civilizations, but it is generally agreed that the Mesopotamians discovered copper. A copper pendant that was discovered in Northern Iraq has been dated back to approximately 8,700 BC and is currently thought to be the oldest object made of copper. In fact, a period in prehistory is the copper age between 5,500 BC and 4,000 BC, usually called the Chalcolithic Age from the Greek words for copper (chalkos) and rock (lithos).
With competitive price and timely delivery, KLS sincerely hope to be your supplier and partner.
Copper is one of the few metals that can occur naturally in its native metallic form. This is different from most metals, which need to be extracted via metallurgy from an ore. In places where native copper occurs, the technology of metallurgy was not necessary for those civilizations to begin to work with copper to form weapons and ornaments.
Pure copper is a chemical element and not an alloy. It is made of only a single type of atom&#;it cannot be broken down into simpler substances. The copper atom has an atomic number of 29, which means that its atomic nucleus contains 29 protons.
Copper is extracted from natural ores&#;either a copper sulfide ore (such as chalcopyrite) or a copper oxide ore&#;which are first mined, then crushed and processed to make copper. These copper ores are found in parts of North and South America (countries such as Chile and Peru), as well as in areas such as the Ural Mountains in Russia, and in Zambia and the Democratic Republic of Congo in Africa.
The different processes to make copper are described below:
Mining of copper ores is usually done in large open pit mines which are open holes in the ground that are dug deeper gradually. Explosives are used to blast the rock, and the resulting boulders are transported for crushing into smaller pieces for processing.
There are two main purification processes for the two common types of copper ore. A hydrometallurgical process is used for oxide ores. The crushed ore is heaped and an acid-leaching solution is percolated through the heap. This creates a pregnant leach solution. A pyrometallurgical process is used for sulfide ores. The extraction of the ore is done by froth flotation and thickening according to the density of the particles.
For oxide ores, the pregnant leach solution is sent to a solvent extraction process to concentrate the copper in the solution in a process called &#;hydrometallurgy.&#; The solution is then sent to electrowinning, where electricity is used to deposit the solid copper. For sulfide ores, pyrometallurgy is used, which means that a smelter is used to create the raw copper. This is then purified in the electrorefining process.
Copper alloys are made by first melting the alloying material, then melting the copper to add to it. The molten mixture is then cast and allowed to cool and solidify.
Electrorefining of copper involves electrolytically dissolving impure copper material into solution. Pure copper is electrochemically deposited on an electrode by applying an electrical current through the solution to remove impurities from the metal. The process is quite expensive and has a very high electrical demand.
Copper is available in different types, and each of these types are best suited for different applications. The properties and applications of each grade of copper depends on the purity of the copper and what alloying elements (if any) are included. Listed below are the different types of copper:
Copper wire takes advantage of the metal&#;s excellent electrical conductivity. It is the most common conductor for most electrical applications. It is used for large currents in industry, and also for domestic use, right down to the wiring within a home for outlets and lights.
Copper tubing has been widely used for domestic drinking water systems due to its corrosion resistance and therefore its longevity. Over the past few decades, it has been the standard in most of the world to use copper tubing for household plumbing. The tubes are available in different diameters and gauges (wall thicknesses). The high cost of copper and the emergence of improved plastic tubing materials means copper is becoming less frequently selected.
The two most common copper alloys are brass (alloyed with zinc) and bronze (alloyed with tin). Brass is popular because it&#;s great for plumbing fixtures, musical instruments, and decorative items. The addition of zinc gives the alloy a higher strength and ductility. Bronze has very similar characteristics to copper, such as: its high thermal conductivity, excellent ductility, and resistance to saltwater corrosion. Bronze is therefore used for bearings and bushings, as well as ship impellers.
Pure copper is specifically prepared to ensure a minimum of impurities, maximizing the thermal and electrical properties of copper. Pure copper tends to be softer and less tough than copper with additives or minor alloying materials. It is ideally used in precision electrical components, for which its electrical conductivity and low thermal expansion are ideal.
These are very small particles of copper, or copper-based materials, that are anywhere from 1&#;100 nm in size. These nanoparticles behave differently than bulk materials. In the case of copper nanoparticles, they show very high catalytic activity for industrial chemical reactions, likely due to their large surface-area-to-volume ratio. Further, copper nanoparticles have shown excellent antimicrobial effects.
Free-machining coppers have minor amounts (<1%) of other alloying elements added to improve the machinability of the copper. Free-machining copper can then be more easily machined into items such as welding nozzles and soldering iron tips.
Copper sheets are thin sheets of copper (about 2 mm or less), while plates are thicker (up to 12 mm thick). Generally, these are available in different copper grades. The sheets are highly malleable and can be formed into different components.
These are the purest coppers available, having very minimal impurities thanks to their non-oxidizing conditions. They are melted under a granulated graphite bath which gets rid of the oxygen. Its high electrical conductivity and low volatile impurities make it suitable for use in high-vacuum electronics.
To remove impurities, electrolytic coppers are put in a solution and refined by electrolysis. This high-purity grade of copper has high electrical conductivity and therefore is employed in various electrical components such as bus bars and windings.
Xometry Instantly Quotes CNC machining, sheet cutting, and sheet metal copper projects. Below are some of the materials available for 24/7 pricing and ordering.
There are also brass and bronze variants that use a copper base:
The properties of different types of copper are shown in Table 1:
Composite materials have very different properties from alloys and pure bases. If you have a plating project, understanding the substrates will help you decide the finishing you need. Thankfully, comprehending composite materials and how plating works on them does not require a degree in chemistry. You only need to know the basics to make an informed decision about the plating you need for your project.
What Are Composite Materials? | Applications of Composite Materials?
Classification of Composite Materials You Can Plate Onto | Types of Metal Matrix Composites?
Types of Ceramic Matrix Composites | How Plating Onto Composites Happens?
How Electroplating Works | How Electroless Plating Works?
Get a Free Quote for Your Composite Material Plating Project
Composite materials differ significantly from other mixed products. For instance, an alloy combines two metals into one. However, composite materials have components that have significantly different properties. As with many designs, though, these materials prove the whole is greater than the sum of the parts. Combining the items in composite materials creates a stronger finished piece.
Unlike alloys, which thoroughly combine the two metals until you cannot distinguish the original parts, composite materials have a final structure that still allows you to identify the original components quickly. Think about concrete. You can clearly see the smaller rocks that make up the mixture of cement and aggregate. This example illustrates the nature of composite materials as strong structures with readily seen parts.
Due to their structure, many composite materials are created in molds. Sometimes, you can cut the molded shapes, depending on what makes the composite. As in the case of concrete, cutting straight lines is difficult because the rocks in it could prevent a perfectly straight edge or result in crumbling.
For more copper composite materialinformation, please contact us. We will provide professional answers.
Despite the difficulty in cutting composite materials, many types still can accommodate other forms of finishing, like metal plating. Plating onto composite bases is only one application of these materials.
As you&#;ve seen, concrete is a standard application of composite materials, but this example is only one of how combining parts creates a better whole. Here are a few more examples of composite materials:
While you regularly encounter the above examples of composite materials during your daily life, you may be less aware of the variety of commercial-grade products and how those get improved through plating. If you have base composite materials made of a ceramic matrix, metal matrix or fiber-reinforced plastic, find out how you can improve on these already quality materials through plating.
A common misconception about plating concerns the base material. Some people think only metal parts can accommodate a metal finish. However, our experts at SPC have perfected the craft of plating onto non-metal bases, like ceramic matrix and fiber-reinforced plastics. Additionally, we can also improve your metal matrix materials with a finish, too. The finish you choose can help improve the wear resistance or hardness of the composite base.
Combining low-density metals like magnesium or aluminum with a fiber or ceramic matrix creates a better performing material than metal alone. MMCs offer several advantages over unreinforced metal:
Despite these advantages, the cost of production and reduced ductility mean not everyone uses MMCs for all applications. Many engineers feel reservations about using MMCs too often due to the corrosion that may occur between the metal and the reinforcements. This corrosion depends significantly on the materials used as well as the environment, but for use in wet conditions, MMCs may require surface strengthening through plating.
Common applications for metal matrix materials include automobiles and planes.
Three things affect the type of MMC &#; reinforcement type, reinforcement geometry and the metal.
The morphology, also known as structure, of reinforcements for MMCs vary with shape and price.
Though MMCs have benefits and downsides, they are not the only composite option available. Ceramic matrix and fiber-reinforced plastics are other common composites that may require metal finishing.
As with MMCs, CMCs rely on a reinforcing structure to increase the strength of the base material. Unlike MMCs, which reinforce metal, CMCs strengthen ceramics with ceramic fibers. The results are impressive and have applications in multiple industries:
While ceramics alone withstand heat well, they tend to crack. The reinforcing fibers in CMCs stop cracks from growing. How well the fibers prevent failure of the material comes from the type of the composite.
The kinds of CMCs depend on the size of the fibers &#; continuous or short. Properties of the composite come from the structure of the threads inside the material and the ceramics used in the construction.
When it comes to plating CMCs, the ceramic will not allow electroplating onto the base material. However, by using electroless plating to create a layer of metal on the surface, we can then use electroplating to get the desired metal finish on the ceramic composite.
Despite the reputation of plastics as weak, cheaply made materials, fiber-reinforcement changes those stereotypes. Fibers running through the plastic help strengthen the material. Depending on the orientation of the fibers and their length, they could add strength in one direction or many.
For FRPs with continuous fibers that run the length of the item, the material is stronger along the grain of the fibers, but it is much weaker at all other angles. FRPs exhibit superior strength-to-density ratio, corrosion resistance and thermal properties. Thanks to its features, FRPs have multiple uses:
FRPs are the oldest composite material in use today, and engineers have found ways to reduce the manufacturing costs, making these more commonly encountered across multiple industries. Plating metal onto FRPs has numerous applications. On planes, coating the carbon fiber exterior with metal makes the aircraft more conductive and protects internal components from damage from lightning strikes. As with CMCs, we can plate onto FRPs through electroless plating. If you want the versatility of electroplating, we will apply a metal layer using the electroless method first before electroplating the part.
When it comes to reinforced plastics, the kind of material used to make the fibers determines the type of FRP you have. Glass, carbon and aromatic polyamide all can create the fiber structure in these plastic composites.
At SPC, we have many ways to get metal plating onto composite bases. The exact makeup of the metal depends on the properties you require, and the process depends on the substrate.
To start electroplating, we carefully clean the base material and submerge it into an electrolyte solution. The metal used for coating also goes into the same bath, which contains ions of the coating metal. We include a solid piece of metal to replace the ions the base pulls out of the liquid. By keeping the metal in the bath, we don&#;t have to monitor the concentration of the solution.
The process of electroplating uses electricity to draw ions from the electrolyte solution in which we submerge the base. These ions adhere to the base material in a layer once power flows through the system.
Electroless plating does not require conductive materials in the base. This process requires us to submerge the substrate into a solution with a nickel alloy in it, which includes either phosphorus or boron with the nickel. Depending on the percentage of the boron or phosphorus we use in the alloy, we can create harder or more wear resistant finishes.
Phosphorus combined with nickel improves wear resistance. The higher the phosphorus content, the greater the resistance to corrosion the piece has. If you need solderability, choose a low boron-nickel coating, but for the hardest material finish, select a higher percentage of boron in the electroless nickel plating bath. High boron coatings also accommodate heat treatment after the plating, which further strengthens the surface.
If you don&#;t know which plating type or bath works best for your project, feel free to ask our experts. We can help you choose whether electroplating or electroless plating will better finish your composite material while giving you the properties needed for your project, such as non-magnetic, solderability, wear resistance or more.
Trust SPC with your composite materials when you need a sturdy, metal finish on them. We have decades of experience in the finishing business and can help you choose the best metal surface for your needs, whether you require electric resistance, conductivity, added strength, increased wear resistance or any other properties the base material lacks. Fill out our contact form to get in touch with one of our representatives for a consultation and free quote for your project.
Want more information on copper clad stainless steel sheets? Feel free to contact us.