Creep resistant cable wire

Abstract

A low creep electrical conducting aluminum cable wire alloy is provided. The wire alloy has about 0.07 to about 0.12 weight percent iron, about 0.04 to about 0.07 weight percent silicon, about 0.03 to about 0.08 weight percent zirconium, and a balance weight percent of aluminum.

What is claimed is:  
     
         1 . A low creep electrical conducting aluminum cable wire alloy comprising: 
 about 0.07 to about 0.12 weight percent iron;    about 0.04 to about 0.07 weight percent silicon;    about 0.03 to about 0.08 weight percent zirconium; and    a balance weight percent of aluminum.    
     
     
         2 . The aluminum cable wire alloy of  claim 1 , further comprising about 0.02 weight percent of cerium.  
     
     
         3 . The aluminum cable wire alloy of  claim 1 , further comprising about 0.03 to about 0.06 weight percent zirconium.  
     
     
         4 . The aluminum cable wire alloy of  claim 1 , further comprising about 0.04 to about 0.05 weight percent misch metal.  
     
     
         5 . The aluminum cable wire alloy of  claim 4 , wherein the misch metal comprises about 50 weight percent cerium, about 25 weight percent lanthanum, about 18 percent neodymium and about 8 percent praseodymium.  
     
     
         6 . The aluminum cable wire alloy of  claim 1 , further comprising about 0.005 weight percent boron.  
     
     
         7 . A low creep cable wire alloy comprising an aluminum alloy, the aluminum alloy comprising about 99.8 weight percent pure aluminum, and having an effective amount of iron, silicon and zirconium to produce a tensile strength of greater than about 18 kg/mm 2  and a conductivity of about 60 percent IACS in an environment of 150 degrees C. for about 100 hours, wherein the effective amount of iron is about 0.12 weight percent and below, the effective amount of silicon is about 0.07 weight percent and below, and the effective amount of zirconium is about 0.08 weight percent and below.  
     
     
         8 . The aluminum cable wire alloy of  claim 7 , further comprising from about 0.0015 to about 0.005 weight percent boron.  
     
     
         9 . A low creep cable wire alloy comprising an aluminum conductor having an effective amount of iron, silicon, zirconium and cerium to produce a tensile strength of greater than about 16 kg/mm 2  and a conductivity of about 59.0 to 60.0 percent IACS after being subject to an environment of200 degrees C. for 100 to 500 hours, wherein the effective amount of iron is about 0.12 weight percent and below, the effective amount of silicon is about 0.07 weight percent and below, the effective amount of zirconium is about 0.08 weight percent and below, and the effective amount of cerium is about 0.025 weight percent.  
     
     
         10 . The aluminum cable wire alloy of  claim 9 , wherein the aluminum conductor is at least about 99.8 weight percent pure aluminum prior to alloying.  
     
     
         11 . The aluminum cable wire alloy of  claim 9 , further comprising from about 0.0015 to about 0.002 weight percent boron.  
     
     
         12 . A low creep electrical conducting aluminum alloy comprising: 
 about 0.025 to about 0.075 weight percent zirconium;    about 0.015 to about 0.035 weight percent cerium;    less than about 0.14 weight percent iron;    less than about 0.08 weight percent silicon;    less than about 0.004 weight percent trace elements;    less than about 0.003 weight percent boron; and    a balance weight percent of aluminum.    
     
     
         13 . The aluminum cable wire alloy of  claim 12 , wherein the aluminum conductor is at least about 99.7 weight percent pure aluminum.  
     
     
         14 . The aluminum cable wire alloy of  claim 12 , wherein misch metal comprises about 0.015 to about 0.035 weight percent cerium.  
     
     
         15 . The aluminum cable wire alloy of  claim 12 , wherein the trace elements are titanium, vanadium, and chromium.  
     
     
         16 . A low creep electrical conducting aluminum alloy comprising: 
 about 0.030 to about 0.070 weight percent zirconium;    about 0.018 to about 0.030 weight percent cerium;    less than about 0.10 weight percent iron;    less than about 0.06 weight percent silicon;    less than about 0.003 weight percent trace elements;    less than about 0.002 weight percent boron; and    a balance weight percent of aluminum.    
     
     
         17 . The aluminum cable wire alloy of  claim 16 , wherein the trace elements are titanium, vanadium, and chromium.  
     
     
         18 . A low creep electrical conducting aluminum alloy comprising: 
 about 0.025 to about 0.075 weight percent zirconium;    less than about 0.14 weight percent iron;    less than about 0.08 weight percent silicon;    less than about 0.004 weight percent trace elements;    less than about 0.003 weight percent boron; and    a balance weight percent of aluminum.    
     
     
         19 . The aluminum cable wire alloy of  claim 18 , wherein the trace elements are titanium, vanadium, and chromium.