# US 9,039,964 B2 · Copper alloy sheet, and method of producing copper alloy sheet

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- Number: US 9,039,964 B2
- Document ID: US9039964B2
- Status: Granted
- Kind: B2
- Application number: 14/124,224
- Filed: 2012-09-14
- Published: 2014-08-14
- Granted: 2015-05-26
- Earliest claimed: 2011-09-16
- Assignees: Mitsubishi Shindoh Co., Ltd.; Mitsubishi Materials Corporation
- Applicants: Keiichiro Oishi
- Inventors: Keiichiro Oishi
- Web page: https://patentgrep.com/patent/US9039964B2

## CPC

- C22C 9/04: with zinc as the next major constituent
- B21B 1/22: for rolling {plates, strips,} bands or sheets of indefinite length (B21B1/42 takes precedence)
- B21B 3/00: Rolling materials of special alloys so far as the composition of the alloy requires or permits special rolling methods or sequences {; Rolling of aluminium, copper, zinc or other non-ferrous metals}(altering special metallurgical properties of alloys, other than structure consolidation or mechanical properties resulting therefrom C21D, C22F)
- C22F 1/08: of copper or alloys based thereon
- H01B 1/026: {Alloys based on copper}
- 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)
- C22C: ALLOYS (treatment of alloys C21D, C22F)
- B21B: ROLLING OF METAL (auxiliary operations used in connection with metal-working operations covered in B21, see B21C; bending by rolling B21D; manufacture of particular objects, e.g. screws, wheels, rings, barrels, balls, by rolling B21H; pressure welding by means of a rolling mill B23K20/04)
- 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)
- H01B: CABLES; CONDUCTORS; INSULATORS; SELECTION OF MATERIALS FOR THEIR CONDUCTIVE, INSULATING OR DIELECTRIC PROPERTIES (selection for magnetic properties H01F1/00; waveguides H01P {; printed circuits H05K})

## Abstract

Provided is one aspect of copper alloy sheet containing 4.5% by mass to 12.0% by mass of Zn, 0.40% by mass to 0.90% by mass of Sn, 0.01% by mass to 0.08% by mass of P, as well as 0.005% by mass to 0.08% by mass of Co and/or 0.03% by mass to 0.85% by mass of Ni, the remainder being Cu and unavoidable impurities. The copper alloy sheet satisfies a relationship of 11≦[Zn]+7×[Sn]+15×[P]+12×[Co]+4.5×[Ni]≦17. The one aspect of copper alloy sheet is produced by a production process including a finish cold rolling process at which a copper alloy material is cold-rolled. An average grain size of the copper alloy material is 2.0 μm to 8.0 μm, circular or elliptical precipitates are present in the copper alloy material, and an average particle size of the precipitates is 4.0 nm to 25.0 nm, or a percentage of precipitates having a particle size of 4.0 nm to 25.0 nm makes up 70% or more of the precipitates.

## Claims

### Claim 1

A copper alloy sheet that is produced by a production process including a finish cold rolling process at which a copper alloy material is cold-rolled,
wherein an average grain size of the copper alloy sheet is 2.0 μm to 8.0 μm, circular or elliptical precipitates are present in the copper alloy sheet, and an average particle size of the precipitates is 4.0 nm to 25.0 nm, or a percentage of the number of precipitates having a particle size of 4.0 nm to 25.0 nm makes up 70% or more of the precipitates,
the copper alloy sheet contains: 4.5% by mass to 12.0% by mass of Zn; 0.40% by mass to 0.90% by mass of Sn; 0.01% by mass to 0.08% by mass of P; and either one or both of 0.005% by mass to 0.08% by mass of Co and 0.03% by mass to 0.85% by mass of Ni; with the remainder being Cu and unavoidable impurities, and
[Zn], [Sn], [P], [Co], and [Ni] satisfy a relationship of 11≦[Zn]+7×[Sn]+15×[P]+12×[Co]+4.5×[Ni]≦17, wherein [Zn], [Sn], [P], [Co], and [Ni] represent the contents (% by mass) of Zn, Sn, P, Co, and Ni, respectively.

### Claim 2

A copper alloy sheet that is produced by a production process including a finish cold rolling process at which a copper alloy material is cold-rolled,
wherein an average grain size of the copper alloy sheet is 2.5 μm to 7.5 μm, circular or elliptical precipitates are present in the copper alloy sheet, and an average particle size of the precipitates is 4.0 nm to 25.0 nm, or a percentage of the number of precipitates having a particle size of 4.0 nm to 25.0 nm makes up 70% or more of the precipitates,
the copper alloy sheet contains 4.5% by mass to 10.0% by mass of Zn; 0.40% by mass to 0.85% by mass of Sn; 0.01% by mass to 0.08% by mass of P; and either one or both of 0.005% by mass to 0.05% by mass of Co and 0.35% by mass to 0.85% by mass of Ni; with the remainder being Cu and unavoidable impurities, and
[Zn], [Sn], [P], [Co], and [Ni] satisfy a relationship of 11≦[Zn]+7×[Sn]+15×[P]+12×[Co]+4.5×[Ni]≦16, wherein [Zn], [Sn], [P], [Co], and [Ni] represent the contents (% by mass) of Zn, Sn, P, Co, and Ni, respectively, and in a case where the content of Ni is 0.35% by mass to 0.85% by mass, 8≦[Ni]/[P]≦40 is satisfied.

### Claim 3

A copper alloy sheet that is produced by a production process including a finish cold rolling process at which a copper alloy material is cold-rolled,
wherein an average grain size of the copper alloy sheet is 2.0 μm to 8.0 μm, circular or elliptical precipitates are present in the copper alloy sheet, and an average particle size of the precipitates is 4.0 nm to 25.0 nm, or a percentage of the number of precipitates having a particle size of 4.0 nm to 25.0 nm makes up 70% or more of the precipitates,
the copper alloy sheet contains: 4.5% by mass to 12.0% by mass of Zn; 0.40% by mass to 0.90% by mass of Sn; 0.01% by mass to 0.08% by mass of P; 0.004% by mass to 0.04% by mass of Fe; and either one or both of 0.005% by mass to 0.08% by mass of Co and 0.03% by mass to 0.85% by mass of Ni; with the remainder being Cu and unavoidable impurities,
wherein, [Zn], [Sn], [P], [Co], and [Ni] satisfy a relationship of 11≦[Zn]+7×[Sn]+15×[P]+12×[Co]+4.5×[Ni]≦17, wherein [Zn], [Sn], [P], [Co], and [Ni] represent the contents (% by mass) of Zn, Sn, P, Co, and Ni, respectively, and
[Co] and [Fe] satisfy a relationship of [Co]+[Fe]≦0.08, wherein [Co] and [Fe] represent the contents (% by mass) of Co and Fe, respectively.

### Claim 4 (depends on 1)

The copper alloy sheet according to claim 1,
wherein when conductivity is set as C (% IACS), and tensile strength and elongation in a direction making an angle of 0° with a rolling direction are set as Pw (N/mm2) and L (%), respectively, after the finish cold rolling process, C≧32, Pw≧500, and 3200≦[Pw×{(100+L)/100}×C1/2]≦4000,
a ratio of tensile strength in a direction making an angle of 0° with the rolling direction to tensile strength in a direction making an angle of 90° with the rolling direction is 0.95 to 1.05, and
a ratio of proof stress in a direction making an angle of 0° with the rolling direction to proof stress in a direction making an angle of 90° with the rolling direction is 0.95 to 1.05.

### Claim 5 (depends on 1)

The copper alloy sheet according to claim 1,
wherein the production process includes a recovery heat treatment process after the finish cold rolling process.

### Claim 6 (depends on 5)

The copper alloy sheet according to claim 5,
wherein when conductivity is set as C (% IACS), and tensile strength and elongation in a direction making an angle of 0° with a rolling direction are set as Pw (N/mm2) and L (%), respectively, after the recovery heat treatment process, C≧32, Pw≧500, and 3200≦[Pw×{(100+L)/100}×C1/2]≦4000,
a ratio of tensile strength in a direction making an angle of 0° with the rolling direction to tensile strength in a direction making an angle of 90° with the rolling direction is 0.95 to 1.05, and
a ratio of proof stress in a direction making an angle of 0° with the rolling direction to proof stress in a direction making an angle of 90° with the rolling direction is 0.95 to 1.05.

### Claim 7 (depends on 2)

The copper alloy sheet according to claim 2,
wherein when conductivity is set as C (% IACS), and tensile strength and elongation in a direction making an angle of 0° with a rolling direction are set as Pw (N/mm2) and L (%), respectively, after the finish cold rolling process, C≧32, Pw≧500, and 3200≦[Pw×{(100+L)/100}×C1/2]≦4000,
a ratio of tensile strength in a direction making an angle of 0° with the rolling direction to tensile strength in a direction making an angle of 90° with the rolling direction is 0.95 to 1.05, and
a ratio of proof stress in a direction making an angle of 0° with the rolling direction to proof stress in a direction making an angle of 90° with the rolling direction is 0.95 to 1.05.

### Claim 8 (depends on 3)

The copper alloy sheet according to claim 3,
wherein when conductivity is set as C (% IACS), and tensile strength and elongation in a direction making an angle of 0° with a rolling direction are set as Pw (N/mm2) and L (%), respectively, after the finish cold rolling process, C≧32, Pw≧500, and 3200≦[Pw×{(100+L)/100}×C1/2]≦4000,
a ratio of tensile strength in a direction making an angle of 0° with the rolling direction to tensile strength in a direction making an angle of 90° with the rolling direction is 0.95 to 1.05, and
a ratio of proof stress in a direction making an angle of 0° with the rolling direction to proof stress in a direction making an angle of 90° with the rolling direction is 0.95 to 1.05.

### Claim 9 (depends on 2)

The copper alloy sheet according to claim 2,
wherein the production process includes a recovery heat treatment process after the finish cold rolling process.

### Claim 10 (depends on 3)

The copper alloy sheet according to claim 3,
wherein the production process includes a recovery heat treatment process after the finish cold rolling process.