Copper alloy, copper alloy plate, and process for producing the same

Abstract

A copper alloy with an excellent stress relaxation resistance including Ni: 0.1 through 3.0 mass %, Sn: 0.01 through 3.0 mass %, P: 0.01 through 0.3 mass % and remainder copper and inevitable impurities, and the Ni content in extracted residues separated and left on a filter having filter mesh size of 0.1 μm by using an extracted residues method accounting for 40 mass % or less of the Ni content in the copper alloy, wherein the extracted residues method requires that 10 g of the copper alloy is immersed in 300 ml of a methanol solution which contains 10 mass % of ammonium acetate, and using the copper alloy as the anode and platinum as the cathode, constant-current electrolysis is performed at the current density of 10 mA/cm², and the solution in which the copper alloy is thus dissolved is subjected to suction filtration using a membrane filter of polycarbonate whose filter mesh size is 0.1 μm, thereby separating and extracting undissolved residues on said filter, and the Ni content in the extracted residues is identified through analysis by ICP after dissolving said undissolved residues separated and left on said filter into a solution prepared by mixing aqua regia and water at the ratio of 1:1.

Description

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION[0001]1. Field of the Invention[0002]The present invention relates to a copper alloy and a copper alloy plate which are excellent in bending formability, shear stamping workability and stress relaxation resistance and which are suitable for use particularly as an automotive terminal, an automotive connector and the like, and also to a method for manufacturing such a copper alloy and such a copper alloy plate.[0003]2. Description of the Related Art[0004]Connection parts such as automotive terminals and automotive connectors are demanded to be manufactured at low costs but yet remain reliable in their capabilities even in a high-temperature environment as that inside an engine room these days. One of the most important properties to secure the demanded reliability even in a high-temperature environment is a capability of maintaining locking at a contact point, which is usually called a “stress relaxation resistance”. In other words, where a tab of a male ter...

AI Technical Summary

Benefits of technology

[0037]In contrast, according to the present invention, suppression of coarse Ni compounds of exceeding 0.1 μm described earlier makes it possible to secure the amount of necessary (useful) fine Ni compounds of 0.1 μm or smaller and the amount of solute Ni. The consequence of this is a high stress relaxation resistance represented by a stress relaxation ratio of 15% or lower along the perpendicular direction to the rolling direction. At the same time, an ex

Problems solved by technology

Containing strongly oxidizing elements (such as Si, Ti and Be), these alloys will not melt inside a large

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