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UNS C17300 (CW102C) Beryllium Copper

C17300 copper is a lightly alloyed grade of copper, formulated for primary forming into wrought products. CW102C is the EN numeric designation for this material. C17300 is the UNS number. Additionally, the EN chemical designation is CuBe2Pb.

It has a moderately low electrical conductivity among wrought coppers. In addition, it has a moderately low melting temperature and can have a moderately high tensile strength.

The properties of C17300 copper include four common variations. This page shows summary ranges across all of them. For more specific values, follow the links immediately below. The graph bars on the material properties cards further below compare C17300 copper to: wrought coppers (top), all copper alloys (middle), and the entire database (bottom). A full bar means this is the highest value in the relevant set. A half-full bar means it's 50% of the highest, and so on.

Mechanical Properties

Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus

120 GPa 17 x 106 psi

Elongation at Break

3.0 to 23 %

Poisson's Ratio

0.33

Shear Modulus

45 GPa 6.5 x 106 psi

Shear Strength

320 to 790 MPa 46 to 110 x 103 psi

Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)

500 to 1380 MPa 73 to 200 x 103 psi

Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)

160 to 1200 MPa 23 to 170 x 103 psi

Thermal Properties

Latent Heat of Fusion

230 J/g

Maximum Temperature: Mechanical

270 °C 530 °F

Melting Completion (Liquidus)

980 °C 1800 °F

Melting Onset (Solidus)

870 °C 1590 °F

Specific Heat Capacity

380 J/kg-K 0.092 BTU/lb-°F

Thermal Conductivity

110 W/m-K 62 BTU/h-ft-°F

Thermal Expansion

17 µm/m-K

Electrical Properties

Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume

22 % IACS

Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)

23 % IACS

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Density

8.8 g/cm3 550 lb/ft3

Embodied Carbon

9.4 kg CO2/kg material

Embodied Energy

150 MJ/kg 63 x 103 BTU/lb

Embodied Water

310 L/kg 37 gal/lb

Common Calculations

Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)

40 to 88 MJ/m3

Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)

110 to 5410 kJ/m3

Stiffness to Weight: Axial

7.6 points

Stiffness to Weight: Bending

19 points

Strength to Weight: Axial

16 to 44 points

Strength to Weight: Bending

16 to 31 points

Thermal Diffusivity

32 mm2/s

Thermal Shock Resistance

17 to 48 points

Alloy Composition

Among wrought copper alloys, the composition of C17300 copper is notable for including beryllium (Be) and aluminum (Al). Beryllium is used to permit precipitation hardening (which increases strength) without much effect on electrical conductivity, but at the cost of substantial toxicity. Aluminum is used to add strength and oxidation resistance.

Copper (Cu)Cu 95.5 to 97.8
Beryllium (Be)Be 1.8 to 2.0
Nickel (Ni)Ni 0.2 to 0.6
Lead (Pb)Pb 0.2 to 0.6
Iron (Fe)Fe 0 to 0.4
Silicon (Si)Si 0 to 0.2
Aluminum (Al)Al 0 to 0.2
Residualsres. 0 to 0.5

All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.

Followup Questions

Similar Alloys

Further Reading

ASTM B196: Standard Specification for Copper-Beryllium Alloy Rod and Bar

Copper Alloys: Preparation, Properties and Applications, Michael Naboka and Jennifer Giordano (editors), 2013

ASM Specialty Handbook: Copper and Copper Alloys, J. R. Davis (editor), 2001