High-strength copper alloy

Abstract

The present invention is a high strength copper alloy that is superior to mechanical properties, workability, corrosion resistance and economy. The present invention discloses high strength copper alloy characterized in that said copper alloy consists essentially of 4 to 19 mass percent of Zn, 0.5 to 2.5 mass percent of Si and the remaining mass percent of Cu, wherein said mass percent of Zn and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship Zn-2.5.Si=0 to 15 mass percent; mean grain size D of crystalline structure of said copper alloy distributes in 0.3 μm≦D≦3.5 μm; and 0.2% yield strength in recrystallization state of said copper alloy is higher than 250 N/mm 2 .

1 . A high strength copper alloy characterized in that said copper alloy consists essentially of 4 to 19 mass percent of Zn, 0.5 to 2.5 mass percent of Si and the remaining mass percent of Cu, wherein said mass percent of Zn and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship Zn-2.5.Si=0 to 15 mass percent; mean grain size D of crystalline structure of said copper alloy distributes in 0.3 μm≦D≦3.5 μm; and 0.2% yield strength in recrystallization state of said copper alloy is higher than 250 N/mm 2 .  
     
     
         2 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 1 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.005 to 0.5 mass percent of Co, wherein said mass percent of Co and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship Co/Si=0.005 to 0.5.  
     
     
         3 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 1 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.03 to 1.5 mass percent of Sn, wherein said mass percent of Sn and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship Si/Sn≧1.5.  
     
     
         4 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 2 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.03 to 1.5 mass percent of Sn, wherein said mass percent of Sn and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship Si/Sn≧1.5.  
     
     
         5 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 1 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Fe and/or 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Ni, wherein said mass percent of Fe, said mass percent of Ni and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship (Fe+Ni)/Si=0.005 to 0.5.  
     
     
         6 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 3 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Fe and/or 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Ni, wherein said mass percent of Fe, said mass percent of Ni and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship (Fe+Ni)/Si=0.005 to 0.5.  
     
     
         7 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 2 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Fe and/or 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Ni, wherein said mass percent of Fe, said mass percent of Ni, said mass percent of Co and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship (Fe+Ni+Co)/Si=0.005 to 0.5.  
     
     
         8 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 4 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Fe and/or 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Ni, wherein said mass percent of Fe, said mass percent of Ni, said mass percent of Co and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship (Fe+Ni+Co)/Si=0.005 to 0.5.  
     
     
         9 . A high strength copper alloy characterized in that said copper alloy consists essentially of 4 to 17 mass percent of Zn, 0.1 to 0.8 mass percent of Si and the remaining mass percent of Cu, wherein said mass percent of Zn and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship Zn-2.5.Si=2˜15 mass percent; mean grain size D of crystalline structure of said copper alloy distributes in 0.3 μm≦D≦3.5 μm; and 0.2% yield strength in recrystallization state of said copper alloy is higher than 250 N/mm 2 .  
     
     
         10 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 9 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.005 to 0.5 mass percent of Co, wherein said mass percent Co and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship Co/Si=0.02 to 1.5.  
     
     
         11 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 9 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.2 to 3 mass percent of Sn, wherein said mass percent of Sn and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship Si/Sn≦0.5.  
     
     
         12 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 10 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.2 to 3 mass percent of Sn, wherein said mass percent of Sn and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship Si/Sn≦0.5.  
     
     
         13 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 9 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Fe and/or 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Ni, wherein said mass percent of Fe, said mass percent of Ni and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship (Fe+Ni)/Si=0.02 to 1.5.  
     
     
         14 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 11 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Fe and/or 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Ni, wherein said mass percent Fe, said mass percent of Ni and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship (Fe+Ni)/Si=0.02 to 1.5.  
     
     
         15 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 10 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Fe and/or 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Ni, wherein said mass percent of Fe, said mass percent of Ni, said mass percent of Co and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship (Fe+Ni+Co)/Si=0.02 to 1.5.  
     
     
         16 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 12 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Fe and/or 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Ni, wherein said mass percent of Fe, said mass percent of Ni, said mass percent of Co and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship (Fe+Ni+Co)/Si=0.02 to 1.5.  
     
     
         17 . The high strength copper alloy according to any one of claims  1  through  16 , wherein said copper alloy contains at least one element selected from a group of P, Sb, As, Sr, Mg, Y, Cr, La, Ti, Mn, Zr, In and Hf, wherein content of said element is 0.003 to 0.3 mass percent.  
     
     
         18 . A high strength copper alloy characterized in that said copper alloy consists essentially of 66 to 76 mass percent of Cu, 21 to 33 mass percent of Zn and 0.5 to 2 mass percent of Si and the remaining mass percent of Cu, wherein said mass percent of Cu, said mass percent of Zn and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship Cu-5.Si=62 to 67 mass percent and Zn+6.Si=32 to 38 mass percent; mean grain size D of crystalline structure of said copper alloy distributes in 0.3 μm≦D≦3.5 μm; and 0.2% yield strength in recrystallization state of said copper alloy is higher than 250 N/mm 2 .  
     
     
         19 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 18 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Co, wherein said mass percent of Co and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship Co/Si=0.005 to 0.4.  
     
     
         20 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 18 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.03 to 1 mass percent of Sn, wherein said mass percent of Si and said mass percent of Sn satisfy the relationship Si/Sn≧1.  
     
     
         21 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 19 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.03 to 1 mass percent of Sn, wherein said mass percent of Si and said mass percent of Sn satisfy the relationship Si/Sn≧1.  
     
     
         22 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 18 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Fe and/or 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Ni, wherein said mass percent of Fe, said mass percent of Ni and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship (Fe+Ni)/Si=0.005 to 0.4.  
     
     
         23 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 20 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Fe and/or 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Ni, wherein said mass percent of Fe, said mass percent of Ni and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship (Fe+Ni)/Si=0.005 to 0.4.  
     
     
         24 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 19 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Fe and/or 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Ni, wherein said mass percent of Fe, said mass percent of Ni, said mass percent of Co and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship (Fe+Ni+Co)/Si=0.005 to 0.4.  
     
     
         25 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 21 , wherein said copper alloy contains 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Fe and/or 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent of Ni, wherein said mass percent of Fe, said mass percent of Ni, said mass percent of Co and said mass percent of Si satisfy the relationship (Fe+Ni+Co)/Si=0.005 to 0.4.  
     
     
         26 . The high strength copper alloy according to any one of claims  18  through  25 , wherein said copper alloy contains at least one element selected from a group of P, Sb, As, Sr, Mg, Y, Cr, La, Ti, Mn, Zr, In and Hf, wherein content of P, Sb, or As is 0.005 to 0.3 mass percent, content of Sr, Mg, Y, Cr, La, Ti, Mn, Zr, In or Hf is 0.003 to 0.3 mass percent, and total content in a case selected from at least P, Sb or As is 0.005 to 0.25 mass percent.  
     
     
         27 . The high strength copper alloy according to any one of claims  1  through  26 , wherein said copper alloy is recrystallized material obtained from recrystallization of plastic working blank, which is formed by plastic working including cold working with working rate being more than 30 percent.  
     
     
         28 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 27 , wherein said recrystallized materials are obtained by heat-treatment of said plastic working blank at the range from 450 to 750° C. for 1 to 1000 seconds.  
     
     
         29 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 27 , wherein said cold working materials are obtained by cold rolling works or cold wire drawing of said recrystallized materials.  
     
     
         30 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 29 , wherein said copper alloy is obtained by heat-treatment of said cold working materials at the range from 150 to 600° C. for 1 second to 4 hours.  
     
     
         31 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 29 , wherein said copper alloys are manufactured pieces obtained by working said cold working materials to a predetermined form.  
     
     
         32 . The high strength copper alloy according to  claim 31 , wherein said copper alloy is obtained by heat-treatment of said cold working materials at the range from 150 to 600° C. for 1 second to 4 hours.  
     
     
         33 . The high strength copper alloy according to any one of claims  1  through  17 , wherein said copper alloy is rolled material or manufactured piece with a predetermined form obtained by working said rolled material.  
     
     
         34 . The high strength copper alloy according to any one of claims  18  through  26 , wherein said copper alloys are wire drawing material or manufactured pieces with a predetermined form obtained by working said wire drawing material.