Method for Producing Copper-Clad Aluminum Wire

Abstract

A method for producing copper-clad aluminum wire may include providing a round stock of core material, cleaning the core and depositing a barrier material on the core to form a thin film coating of barrier material on the core. The method may include providing one or more strips of a cladding material in continuous form, advancing the coated core and the one or more strips of cladding material, and forming the strips of cladding material to conform around the coated core wherein a cross-sectional area of the coated core is reduced, the formed strips of cladding material forming one or more fins. The method may include quenching the conformed strips of cladding material and the coated core and removing the fins to form a cladding material-clad coated wire or rod.

1 . A method for producing cladding material-clad aluminum wire, the method comprising:
 providing a round stock core material comprising aluminum, wherein the round stock core is a rod or wire;   cleaning the core using plasma glow discharge;   depositing a thin film barrier coating on the core, the coating comprising a metal or carbon;   providing one or more strips of cladding material in a continuous form, the cladding material comprising copper, nickel, tin or stainless steel;   heating the coated aluminum core and the one or more strips of cladding material;   advancing the heated coated aluminum core and the one or more heated strips of cladding material into a retort, the retort containing a heated inert or reducing atmosphere;   roll-forming the one or more strips of cladding material to conform around the coated aluminum core forming a cladding material-clad coated aluminum core, the roll-forming comprising applying a pressure to the heated strips and heated coated core wherein a cross-sectional area of the coated aluminum core is reduced and the heated strips of cladding material form one or more fins;   quenching the copper-clad coated aluminum core in a cooling liquid; and   removing the fins, wherein the cladding comprises between 5% and 30% of a cross-sectional area of the cladding material-clad coated aluminum core.   
     
     
         2 . A method for producing cladding material-clad wire, the method comprising:
 providing a round stock of core material wherein the round stock is a rod or wire;   cleaning the core;   depositing a barrier material on the core to form a thin film coating of barrier material on the core;   providing one or more strips of a cladding material in continuous form;   advancing the coated core and the one or more strips of cladding material;   forming the strips of cladding material to conform around the coated core wherein a cross-sectional area of the coated core is reduced, the formed strips of cladding material forming one or more fins; and   removing the fins to form a cladding material-clad coated wire or rod.   
     
     
         3 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the forming comprises:
 heating the strips and the coated core; 
 introducing the strips and the coated core into a retort; 
 positioning the one or more strips around the coated core such that upon forming, the strips envelop a surface of the coated core; and 
 rolling the strips and the coated core so that the strips are formed to conform around the coated core and resulting in the one or more fins. 
 
     
     
         4 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the retort contains an inert or reducing atmosphere. 
     
     
         5 . The method of  claim 3  wherein the rolling comprises applying a pressure of 4000 psi to 20,000 psi to the strips and the coated core. 
     
     
         6 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising winding the cladding material-clad coated wire onto a roll or cutting the cladding material-clad coated wire or rod to a length. 
     
     
         7 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the core material comprises aluminum. 
     
     
         8 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the core is a rod or wire and has a diameter of 0.300 inch to 0.500 inch. 
     
     
         9 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the cleaning comprises plasma glow discharge. 
     
     
         10 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the barrier material comprises a metal. 
     
     
         11 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the barrier material comprises carbon. 
     
     
         12 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the depositing comprises plasma deposition, electroplating, vacuum metallization, sputtering, chemical solution deposition, chemical vapor deposition or ion beam deposition. 
     
     
         13 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the thin film has a thickness of 1 μm to 1000 μm. 
     
     
         14 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the cladding material comprises copper, nickel, tin or stainless steel. 
     
     
         15 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the cladding material comprises between 5% and 30% of a cross-sectional area of the cladding material-clad coated wire or rod. 
     
     
         16 . The method of  claim 2  further comprising quenching the conformed strips of cladding material and the coated core. 
     
     
         17 . The method of  claim 16  wherein quenching comprises cooling the clad coated core to a temperature in the range of 100° F. to 250° F. 
     
     
         18 . The method of  claim 2  wherein a rate of production of clad coated wire or rod is between 200 feet per minute and 400 feet per minute. 
     
     
         19 . The method of  claim 2  wherein the clad coated wire or rod has a diameter between 0.032 inch to 0.375 inch. 
     
     
         20 . A system for producing cladding material-clad coated wire, the system comprising:
 a source of round stock core material configured to provide a core to a straightener;   the straightener configured to straighten the core;   a cleaner configured to clean the core;   a coating apparatus configured to deposit a thin film barrier coating on the cleaned core;   a source of cladding material configured to provide one or more strips of cladding material;   one or more heating apparatuses configured to heat the coated core and the one or more strips of cladding material;   a retort configured to provide an inert or reducing atmosphere;   a rolling mill configured to form the one or more strips of the cladding material around the coated core wherein a cross-sectional area of the coated core is reduced;   a quenching apparatus configured to cool the cladding material-clad coated core; and   a fin-cutting apparatus configured to remove fins formed in the rolling mill.