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(11) | EP 1 967 597 A3 |
(12) | EUROPEAN PATENT APPLICATION |
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(54) | Beryllium-Copper conductor |
(57) A process is provided for forming an age hardened wire for use as an electrical conductor,
which wire is formed from a copper base alloy consisting of from 1.25 to 3.6 wt% nickel,
from 0.25 to 0.45 beryllium, and the balance copper and impurities which do not affect
the properties of said alloy, with the nickel and beryllium being present in the copper
base alloy in a ratio of nickel to beryllium from 5.0 to 8.0. The process comprises
the steps of providing a copper base alloy material consisting of from 1.25 to 3.6
wt% nickel, from 0.25 to 0.45 beryllium, and the balance copper and impurities which
do not affect the properties of said alloy, which nickel and beryllium are present
in the copper base alloy in a ratio of nickel to beryllium from 5.0 to 8.0, cold working
the material in a single step; and age hardening the cold worked material in a single
step to form a wire in a cold worked and aged hardened condition having an electrical
conductivity of at least about 60% IACS.
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