Copper sheet and strip is a sheet or strip metal material made from copper and copper alloys through rolling. It exhibits excellent electrical and thermal conductivity, corrosion resistance, and processability.
Typically, strips with a thickness of 0.2-3.0 mm are called strips, while those thicker than 3.0 mm are called plates.
Based on alloy composition and properties, copper sheet and strip are generally classified into four main categories:
1. Red Copper Sheet and Strip (Pure Copper)
Grades such as T2 and C1100 (Oxygen-Free Copper).
Properties: Excellent electrical and thermal conductivity (>99%), corrosion resistance, good thermoplasticity, and moderate cold plasticity. Tensile strength ≥315 MPa, elongation ≥30%.
Applications: Wires, cables, detonators, circuit connectors, chemical evaporators, storage tanks, pipelines, roofing, and curtain walls (for weather resistance and aesthetics).
2. Brass Sheet and Strip (Copper-Zinc Alloy)
Grades include H62, H65, and H68 (common brass); HPb59-1 (lead brass).
Properties: Good machinability, can be processed in hot or cold presses, and has excellent mechanical properties. Tin brass (such as HSn70-1) is resistant to seawater corrosion.
Applications: Gaskets, bushings, valves, water pipes, corrosion-resistant parts, steam ducts (tin brass), battery caps, and connectors (due to ease of machining).
3. Bronze Sheet and Strip (Copper-Tin/Aluminum/Silicon Alloy)
Grades include QSn6.5-0.1 (Tin-Phosphor Bronze) and QAl9-4 (Aluminum Bronze).
Properties: High wear resistance and anti-friction properties. Some grades offer excellent elasticity (such as beryllium bronze QBe2.0).
Applications: Bearings, gears, and worm gears (tin bronze), springs, connectors (beryllium bronze), and aerospace and automotive cylinder plates (aluminum bronze).
4. White Copper Strip (Copper-Nickel Alloy)
Grades include BZn15-20 (zinc white copper) and BMn40-1.5 (manganese white copper).
Properties: Strong corrosion resistance, moderate strength, high ductility, and excellent electrical properties (such as high resistance and thermocouple properties).
Applications: Resistors, thermocouples (manganese white copper), ship condensers, corrosion-resistant structures (iron white copper), eyeglass accessories, and surgical instruments (zinc white copper).
How should I choose a copper strip grade? We can decide based on specific performance requirements (such as conductivity, strength, and corrosion resistance) and the application scenario. For example:
1. Electrical Industry: Pure copper (T2, TU1) is preferred;
2. Decorative and Structural Parts: Brass (H62, H80) is often used;
3. Wear-Resistant Mechanical Parts: Bronze (such as QSn6.5-0.1, QAl9-4) is preferred;
4. Corrosion-Resistant Environments (Marine and Chemical Industries): Nickel Silver (B10, B30) or Tin Brass (HSn70-1) is used.
Recently, the hottest sectors: New Energy Vehicles (battery connectors), 5G Communications (heat sinks), and Semiconductors (lead frames) are driving demand for high-precision copper sheet and strip.
From a technological perspective, high-end products (such as ultra-thin strip ≤0.01mm) rely on imports. Local companies are improving cold rolling precision (six-high mills) and annealing processes (gas shielded furnaces) to replace imports.
The company has a cluster of leading copper processing production lines in China, including:
German imported precision copper tube production line (annual output of 30,000 tons)
Japanese technology copper foil rolling line (thinnest up to 6μm)
Fully automatic copper bar continuous extrusion line
Intelligent copper sheet and strip finishing mill unit
Digitalized control and management of the whole production process is realized through MES system, and the dimensional accuracy of the products can reach ±0.01mm.
