Oxygen-free copper (OFC) is an electrolytic refined high-conductive copper alloy with oxygen content reduced to 0.001% or less, making it a high-end conductive material.The particularity of oxygen-free copper is that it contains almost no oxygen, which has an important impact on the conductivity, because the presence of oxygen will reduce the conductivity.With the development of technology, oxygen-free high-conductive copper has become one of the preferred materials in superconducting technology.
Anaerobic high-conductive copper provides excellent performance beyond ordinary copper materials, especially in terms of electrical and thermal conductivity, which greatly improves the efficiency of cooling technology.
According to the ASTM/UNS standard, oxygen-free copper is divided into several levels, the most common of which are C10100 and C10200.Commonly known as oxygen-free copper, C10100 has a 99.99% purity, extremely low oxygen content, and has a conductivity of at least 101% IACS.In contrast, C10200 is called oxygen-free copper, and although it is considered oxygen-free, its conductivity is not as good as C10100.
Among them, C11000, commonly known as electrolytic copper (ETP), is the most common copper material. It is commonly used in electrical applications and has a conductivity of at least 100% IACS.
The production process of oxygen-free high-conductive copper is quite special to ensure that any impurities are avoided during the production process, so that the basic characteristics of copper can be maximized.
Anaerobic high-conductive copper is widely used in superconductors and low-temperature cooling technologies due to its excellent conductivity and good thermal conductivity.Good thermal conductivity can not only improve the operating efficiency of superconductors, but also extend their service life.These applications play an increasingly important role in supporting high-energy physics experiments and deep space exploration technologies in today's materials science.
In industrial applications, oxygen-free copper is valued for its chemical purity, not just its electrical conductivity.It plays a key role in the manufacturing of superconducting and semiconductor components, especially in the application of plasma deposition.In these situations, any leakage of oxygen or other impurities can cause adverse chemical reactions to other materials in the local environment.
In the high-end speaker wire industry, oxygen-free copper is advertised as having enhanced conductivity, which is considered advantageous in audio signal transmission.However, in fact, the conductivity specifications for the common C11000 and higher-priced C10200 oxygen-free copper are the same.In audio applications, even the more expensive C10100 has only 1% more conductivity than other materials, which has a negligible impact on the sound effects.
Despite the growing promotion of oxygen-free copper in the audio industry, the industry still needs to rely on more comprehensive research results to evaluate its true value.
Anaerobic copper (CuOFP) is a type of highly conductive copper that is commonly used in structural and thermal applications affected by high temperatures.This material is often used in welding/welding rods and heat exchange tubes because it can effectively resist the problem of hydrogen embrittlement.With the increasing demand for anaerobic materials, anaerobic phosphorus copper has also become a priority in the storage process of nuclear fuel due to its corrosion resistance.
The application of oxygen-free high-conductive copper in superconductor technology and cooling is showing unprecedented potential, not only due to its superior conductivity but also because it provides reliable thermal management solutions.In a rapidly changing technological environment, the continuous research and innovation of oxygen-free copper will be one of the keys to the further development of cooling technology in the future.
The reason why oxygen-free high-conductive copper can become one of the preferred materials for cooling technology is because of its outstanding performance, but does this mean that there is potential for similar progress in the development of other materials?