# US 8,784,580 B2 · Copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for electrical and electronic components > Agents: this data is available as JSON from the patentgrep API and MCP server — see https://patentgrep.com/llms.txt - Number: US 8,784,580 B2 - Document ID: US8784580B2 - Status: Granted - Kind: B2 - Application number: 12/523,070 - Filed: 2008-02-14 - Published: 2010-02-25 - Granted: 2014-07-22 - Earliest claimed: 2007-02-16 - Assignees: Kobe Steel, Ltd. - Applicants: Akira Fugono; Hiroshi Sakamoto - Inventors: Akira Fugono; Hiroshi Sakamoto - Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US8784580B2 ## CPC - C22F 1/08: of copper or alloys based thereon - C22C 9/06: with nickel or cobalt as the next major constituent - C22F 1/00: Changing the physical structure of non-ferrous metals or alloys by heat treatment or by hot or cold working (apparatus for mechanical working of metal B21, B23, B24) - C22F: CHANGING THE PHYSICAL STRUCTURE OF NON-FERROUS METALS AND NON-FERROUS ALLOYS (surface treatment of metallic material involving at least one process provided for in class C23 and at least one process covered by this subclass, C23F17/00) - C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F) ## Abstract Disclosed is a Cu—Ni—Si copper alloy sheet that excels in strength and formability and is used in electrical and electronic components. The copper alloy sheet contains, by mass, 1.5% to 4.5% Ni and 0.3% to 1.0% of Si and optionally contains at least one member selected from 0.01% to 1.3% of Sn, 0.005% to 0.2% of Mg, 0.01% to 5% of Zn, 0.01% to 0.5% of Mn, and 0.001% to 0.3% of Cr, with the remainder being copper and inevitable impurities. The average size of crystal grains is 10 μm or less, the standard deviation σ of crystal grain size satisfies the condition: 2σ<10 μm, and the number of dispersed precipitates lying on grain boundaries and having a grain size of from 30 to 300 nm is 500 or more per millimeter. ## Claims ### Claim 1 A copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for use in electrical and electronic components, the copper alloy sheet comprising, by mass, 1.5% to 4.5% of nickel (Ni) and 0.3% to 1.0% of silicon (Si), with the remainder being copper and inevitable impurities, wherein the copper alloy sheet has an average size of crystal grains of 10 μm or less, a standard deviation σ of crystal grain size satisfying the condition: 2σ<10 μm, and a number of dispersed precipitates of 500 or more per millimeter, the dispersed precipitates lying on grain boundaries and having a diameter of from 30 to 300 nm. ### Claim 2 (depends on 1) The copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for use in electrical and electronic components, according to claim 1, further comprising either one or both of 0.01% to 1.3% of tin (Sn) and 0.005% to 0.2% of magnesium (Mg). ### Claim 3 (depends on 1) The copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for use in electrical and electronic components, according to claim 1, further comprising 0.01% to 5% of zinc (Zn). ### Claim 4 (depends on 1) The copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for use in electrical and electronic components, according to claim 1, further comprising either one or both of 0.01% to 0.5% of manganese (Mn) and 0.001% to 0.3% of chromium (Cr). ### Claim 5 (depends on 1) The copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for use in electrical and electronic components, according to claim 1, further comprising a total of 0.1% or less of at least one member selected from the first group of elements consisting of B, C, P, S, Ca, V, Ga, Ge, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, Bi, and Pb, each in a content of 0.0001% to 0.1%; and a total of 1% or less of at least one member selected from the second group of elements consisting of Be, Al, Ti, Fe, Co, Zr, Ag, Cd, In, Sb, Te, and Au, each in a content of 0.001% to 1%, the total content of the first and second groups of elements being 1% or less. ### Claim 6 (depends on 1) The copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for use in electrical and electronic components, according to claim 1, further comprising a total of 0.1% or less of at least one member selected from the first group of elements consisting of B, C, P, S, Ca, V, Ga, Ge, Nb, Mo, Hf, Ta, Bi, and Pb, each in a content of 0.0001% to 0.1%. ### Claim 7 (depends on 1) The copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for use in electrical and electronic components, according to claim 1, further comprising a total of 1% or less of at least one member selected from the second group of elements consisting of Be, Al, Ti, Fe, Co, Zr, Ag, Cd, In, Sb, Te, and Au, each in a content of 0.001% to 1%, the total content of the first and second groups of elements being 1% or less. ### Claim 8 (depends on 5) The copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for use in electrical and electronic components, according to claim 5, comprising the Ti and Zr. ### Claim 9 (depends on 1) The copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for use in electrical and electronic components, according to claim 1, which comprises 1.7% to 3.9% of nickel (Ni). ### Claim 10 (depends on 1) The copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for use in electrical and electronic components, according to claim 1, which comprises 0.35% to 0.90% of silicon (Si). ### Claim 11 (depends on 1) The copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for use in electrical and electronic components, according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the nickel (Ni) content to the silicon (Si) content is 4.0 to 5.0. ### Claim 12 (depends on 1) The copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for use in electrical and electronic components, according to claim 1, wherein the ratio of the nickel content to the silicon content is around 4.5. ### Claim 13 (depends on 1) The copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for use in electrical and electronic components, according to claim 1, wherein the average size d of crystal grains and the standard deviation σ satisfy the relationship d ≦2σ. ### Claim 14 (depends on 1) The copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for use in electrical and electronic components, according to claim 1, further comprising 0.01% to 0.6% of tin (Sn). ### Claim 15 (depends on 1) The copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for use in electrical and electronic components, according to claim 1, further comprising 0.005% to 0.05% of magnesium (Mg). ### Claim 16 (depends on 1) The copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for use in electrical and electronic components, according to claim 1, further comprising 0.01% to 1.2% of zinc (Zn). ### Claim 17 (depends on 1) The copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for use in electrical and electronic components, according to claim 1, further comprising 0.01% to 0.3% of tin (Sn). ### Claim 18 (depends on 1) The copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for use in electrical and electronic components, according to claim 1, further comprising 0.01 to 0.3% of manganese (Mn). ### Claim 19 (depends on 1) The copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for use in electrical and electronic components, according to claim 1, further comprising 0.001% to 0.1% of chromium (Cr). ### Claim 20 (depends on 1) The copper alloy sheet excellent in strength and formability for use in electrical and electronic components, according to claim 1, wherein the copper sheet is fabricated by a sequential process comprising melting/casting, soaking, hot rolling, precipitation treatment after hot rolling, cold rolling, recrystallization treatment with partial solution treatment and low-temperature annealing.