Copper has always been a non-ferrous metal with a wide range of uses. In 1998, world copper production was 14 million tons, ranking second in nonferrous metal production. It is predicted that the copper consumption in the United States in 2000 will be 3.505 million to 5 million tons, of which the electrical industry accounts for 71.4%, construction equipment accounts for 10.3%, mechanical equipment accounts for 9.1%, transportation equipment accounts for 4.1%, military supplies accounts for 1.1%, decoration, Pigments, currency, etc. accounted for 4.0%. The main uses of copper are concentrated in the following industries:
1. Copper has good electrical conductivity and can be widely used in the power and electronics industries as input wires. High-purity copper containing more than 99.99% copper can be used in cables, switches, voltage regulators and other parts that require high conductivity.
2. The integrated circuits of electronic computers and the printed circuit boards of large-scale integrated circuits are made of composite boards with copper plated on polymer materials.
3. Copper can also be made into high-temperature resistant aerospace wires.
4. Copper is used in communication cables. A large amount of copper is still needed in the process of converting electrical energy into light energy and in the lines input to users.
5. Copper is widely used in the machinery industry: In motor manufacturing, copper alloys with high conductivity and high strength are widely used. In addition to the large amount of copper used in motors, circuits, hydraulic systems, pneumatic systems and control systems, there are a wide variety of transmission parts and fixed parts made of brass and bronze, such as gears, worm gears, worms, couplings, fasteners, torques, etc. Tightening parts, screws, nuts, etc. are everywhere.
6. Electric vacuum devices: Electric vacuum devices are mainly high-frequency and ultra-high frequency launch tubes, waveguides, magnetrons, etc. They require high-purity oxygen-free copper and dispersion-strengthened oxygen-free copper.
7. Various compounds of copper can be used in chemical industry, medicine, pesticides, metallurgy, etc. However, its usage is very small, accounting for only about 1% of copper consumption.
8.Copper printed circuits use copper foil as the surface and paste it on a plastic plate as a support; the circuit wiring diagram is printed on the copper plate by taking photos; the excess part is removed by etching Instead, interconnected circuits are left.
9. Copper is widely used in the energy industry: the utilization of solar energy also uses many copper tubes.
10. In the marine industry, copper has the advantage of being resistant to seawater corrosion and the copper ions dissolved in the water have a bactericidal effect and can prevent fouling of marine organisms. Copper and copper alloys are very important materials in the marine industry and have been used in seawater desalination plants. It is widely used in offshore oil and gas production platforms, and other coastal and submarine facilities. For example, piping systems, pumps and valves used in desalination processes, and equipment used on oil
and gas production platforms, including splash zone and subsea bolts, drill holes, biofouling resistant jackets, pump valves and Piping systems, etc.
11. Ships: Due to their good resistance to seawater corrosion, many copper alloys, such as aluminum bronze, manganese bronze, aluminum brass, gun metal (tin-zinc bronze), white copper and nickel-copper alloy (Monel alloy) have become the preferred choice for shipbuilding. Standard materials. Generally, copper and copper
alloys account for 2 to 3% of the weight of warships and merchant ships. The propellers of warships and most large merchant ships are made of aluminum bronze or brass. Each propeller of a large ship weighs 20 to 25 tons. The propellers of the Queen Elizabeth and Queen Mary aircraft carriers each weigh 35 tons.
12. Alloy additives: Copper is an important additive element in alloys such as steel and aluminum. Adding a small amount of copper (0.2 to 0.5%) to low-alloy structural steel can improve the steel’s strength and
resistance to atmospheric and marine corrosion. Adding copper to corrosion-resistant cast iron and stainless steel can further improve their corrosion resistance. The high-nickel alloy containing about 30% copper is the famous high-strength and corrosion-resistant “Monel alloy” and is widely used in the nuclear industry.