White-colored copper alloy with reduced nickel content

Abstract

Disclosed is a white-colored copper alloy comprising by weight up to 30% zinc, up to 20% manganese, up to 5% nickel with the balance copper. This alloy may have from 6% to 25% zinc, from 4% to 17% manganese, from 0.1% to 3.5% nickel and the balance copper. The balance copper in the alloy may further contain at least one of: up to 0.5% of at least one of the group which consists of Sn, Si, Co, Ti, Cr, Fe, Mg, Zr, and Ag; and up to 0.1% of at least one of the group which consists of P, B, Ca, Ge, Se, Te. It may also contain up to 0.3% Zr by weight. The alloy may have an electrical conductivity greater than 2.5% IACS at eddy current gauge exciting frequencies between 60 kHz and 480 kHz.

What is claimed is: 
     
         1 . A product comprising:
 a copper alloy comprising   (a) 6-25% by weight zinc;   (b) 7-17% by weight manganese;   (c) 0.1-3.5% by weight nickel; and   (d) the balance copper;   wherein the copper alloy has a CIELAB a* value from about −2 to about 3 and a b* value from about −2 to about 10.   
     
     
         2 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the copper alloy comprises about 0.05% to about 2.5% by weight iron. 
     
     
         3 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the copper alloy comprises:
 up to 0.5% of one or more of Sn, Si, Co, Ti, Cr, Fe, Mg, Zr, or Ag; or   up to 0.1% of one or more of P, B, Ca, Ge, Se, or Te;   or both: up to 0.5% of one or more of Sn, Si, Co, Ti, Cr, Fe, Mg, Zr, or Ag; and up to 0.1% of one or more of P, B, Ca, Ge, Se, or Te.   
     
     
         4 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the copper alloy has a CIELAB a* value from about −2 to about 2 and a b* value from about −2 to about 8. 
     
     
         5 . The product of  claim 1  comprising a touch surface. 
     
     
         6 . The product of  claim 5 , wherein the product is a piece of hospital equipment or door hardware. 
     
     
         7 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the product is a planchet. 
     
     
         8 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the copper alloy comprises about 9% to about 15% zinc by weight, about 12% to about 16% manganese by weight, about 2.5% to about 3% nickel by weight, and about 66% to about 76.5% Cu by weight. 
     
     
         9 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the copper alloy additionally comprises up to about 0.3% Zr by weight. 
     
     
         10 . The product of  claim 1 , wherein the copper alloy has an electrical conductivity greater than 2.5% IACS at eddy current gauge exciting frequencies between 60 kHz and 480 kHz. 
     
     
         11 . A product comprising:
 a copper alloy comprising   (a) 6-25% by weight zinc;   (b) 7-17% by weight manganese;   (c) 0.1-3.5% by weight nickel; and   (d) the balance copper;   wherein the copper alloy has a CIELAB a* value from about −2 to about 3 and a b* value from about −2 to about 10; and   wherein the copper alloy inactivates 99.9% of bacteria in suspension on an uncoated surface of the copper alloy within 120 minutes of exposure.   
     
     
         12 . The product of  claim 11 , wherein the copper alloy comprises about 0.05% to about 2.5% by weight iron. 
     
     
         13 . The product of  claim 11 , wherein the copper alloy inactivates 99.9% of the bacteria within 60 minutes of exposure. 
     
     
         14 . The product of  claim 13 , wherein the copper alloy inactivates 99.9% of the bacteria within 45 minutes of exposure. 
     
     
         15 . The product of  claim 14 , wherein the copper alloy inactivates 99.9% of the bacteria within about 10 minutes of exposure. 
     
     
         16 . The product of  claim 11  comprising a touch surface. 
     
     
         17 . The product of  claim 16 , wherein the bacteria is  E. coli.    
     
     
         18 . The product of  claim 16 , wherein the bacteria is  S. aureus.    
     
     
         19 . The product of  claim 16 , wherein the product is a piece of hospital equipment or door hardware. 
     
     
         20 . The product of  claim 17 , wherein the product is a piece of hospital equipment. 
     
     
         21 . The product of  claim 18 , wherein the product is a piece of hospital equipment. 
     
     
         22 . The product of  claim 11 , wherein the product is a planchet. 
     
     
         23 . The product of  claim 11 , wherein the copper alloy comprises about 9% to about 15% zinc by weight, about 12% to about 16% manganese by weight, about 2.5% to about 3% nickel by weight, and about 66% to about 76.5% Cu by weight. 
     
     
         24 . A product comprising:
 a copper alloy comprising   (a) 6-25% by weight zinc;   (b) 7-17% by weight manganese;   (c) 0.1-3.5% by weight nickel; and   (d) the balance copper;   wherein the copper alloy has a CIELAB a* value from about −2 to about 3 and a b* value from about −2 to about 10; and   wherein the copper alloy has a ΔE CMC  of less than 1 after 30 days exposure in air at 20-25° C. without contact with human skin or body fluids.   
     
     
         25 . The product of  claim 24 , wherein the copper alloy comprises about 0.05% to about 2.5% by weight iron. 
     
     
         26 . The product of  claim 24 , wherein the ΔE CMC  is less than 0.75. 
     
     
         27 . The product of  claim 26 , wherein the ΔE CMC  is less than 0.5. 
     
     
         28 . The product of  claim 24  comprising a touch surface. 
     
     
         29 . The product of  claim 28 , wherein the product is a piece of hospital equipment or door hardware. 
     
     
         30 . The product of  claim 24 , wherein the product is a planchet. 
     
     
         31 . The product of  claim 24 , wherein the copper alloy comprises about 9% to about 15% zinc by weight, about 12% to about 16% manganese by weight, about 2.5% to about 3% nickel by weight, and about 66% to about 76.5% Cu by weight. 
     
     
         32 . A product comprising:
 a copper alloy comprising   (a) 6-25% by weight zinc;   (b) 6.5-17% by weight manganese;   (c) 0.1-3.5% by weight nickel; and   (d) the balance copper;   wherein the copper alloy has a CIELAB a* value from about −2 to about 3 and a b* value from about −2 to about 10; and   wherein the copper alloy has a ΔE CMC  of less than 20 after 24 hours exposure in air at 150° C.   
     
     
         33 . The product of  claim 32 , wherein the copper alloy comprises about 0.05% to about 2.5% by weight iron. 
     
     
         34 . The product of  claim 32 , wherein the ΔE CMC  is less than 15. 
     
     
         35 . The product of  claim 34 , wherein the ΔE CMC  is less than 10. 
     
     
         36 . The product of  claim 32  comprising a touch surface. 
     
     
         37 . The product of  claim 36 , wherein the product is a piece of hospital equipment or door hardware. 
     
     
         38 . The product of  claim 32 , wherein the product is a planchet. 
     
     
         39 . The product of  claim 32 , wherein the copper alloy comprises about 9% to about 15% zinc by weight, about 12% to about 16% manganese by weight, about 2.5% to about 3% nickel by weight, and about 66% to about 76.5% Cu by weight. 
     
     
         40 . A product comprising:
 a copper alloy comprising   (a) 6-25% by weight zinc;   (b) 6.5-17% by weight manganese;   (c) 0.1-3.5% by weight nickel; and   (d) the balance copper;   wherein the copper alloy has a CIELAB a* value from about −2 to about 3 and a b* value from about −2 to about 10; and   wherein the copper alloy has a ΔE CMC  of less than 3 after three days of repeated skin contact.   
     
     
         41 . The product of  claim 40 , wherein the copper alloy comprises about 0.05% to about 2.5% by weight iron. 
     
     
         42 . The product of  claim 40 , wherein the ΔE CMC  is less than 2. 
     
     
         43 . The product of  claim 42 , wherein the ΔE CMC  is less than 1. 
     
     
         44 . The product of  claim 40  comprising a touch surface. 
     
     
         45 . The product of  claim 44 , wherein the product is a piece of hospital equipment or door hardware. 
     
     
         46 . The product of  claim 40 , wherein the product is a planchet. 
     
     
         47 . The product of  claim 40 , wherein the copper alloy comprises about 9% to about 15% zinc by weight, about 12% to about 16% manganese by weight, about 2.5% to about 3% nickel by weight, and about 66% to about 76.5% Cu by weight.