Method for treating copper-nickel-tin alloy compositions and products produced therefrom

Abstract

Certain copper-nickel-tin alloys falling within a single phase region at temperatures approaching the melting point, but within a two-phase region at room temperature, when pretreated to produce a supersaturated single phase structure having a medium to fine grain size, followed by cold working to at least 75 percent area reduction and concluding with a critical aging treatment determined by the alloy composition and by the extent of prior cold working, exhibit higher mechanical strengths for given levels of ductility than have heretofore been attained for copper alloys. The alloys of the invention are useful in a variety of applications requiring a combination of properties including mechanical strengths, ductility, electrical conductivity and corrosion resistance, and are particularly useful as springs, relay elements, wire connectors and other similar flexible articles.

Dependencies are inferred from the claim text.