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UNS C99500 Nickel-Iron Copper

C99500 copper is a copper-nickel alloy formulated for casting. Cited properties are appropriate for the as-fabricated (no temper or treatment) condition.

It has a fairly low base cost among cast copper-nickels. In addition, it has the lowest embodied energy and a moderately high electrical conductivity.

The graph bars on the material properties cards below compare C99500 copper to: cast copper-nickels (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

13 %

Poisson's Ratio

0.34

Shear Modulus

45 GPa 6.6 x 106 psi

Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)

540 MPa 78 x 103 psi

Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)

310 MPa 46 x 103 psi

Thermal Properties

Latent Heat of Fusion

240 J/g

Maximum Temperature: Mechanical

210 °C 420 °F

Melting Completion (Liquidus)

1090 °C 2000 °F

Melting Onset (Solidus)

1040 °C 1900 °F

Specific Heat Capacity

400 J/kg-K 0.1 BTU/lb-°F

Thermal Expansion

17 µm/m-K

Electrical Properties

Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume

10 % IACS

Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)

10 % IACS

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Base Metal Price

30 % relative

Density

8.7 g/cm3 540 lb/ft3

Embodied Carbon

3.0 kg CO2/kg material

Embodied Energy

47 MJ/kg 20 x 103 BTU/lb

Embodied Water

300 L/kg 36 gal/lb

Common Calculations

Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)

63 MJ/m3

Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)

410 kJ/m3

Stiffness to Weight: Axial

7.7 points

Stiffness to Weight: Bending

19 points

Strength to Weight: Axial

17 points

Strength to Weight: Bending

17 points

Thermal Shock Resistance

19 points

Alloy Composition

Among cast copper alloys, the composition of C99500 copper is notable for containing comparatively high amounts of iron (Fe) and silicon (Si). Iron is used to increase strength inexpensively. Silicon is used to improve casting fluidity and lower melting temperature. It also raises strength at the expense of ductility.

Copper (Cu)Cu 82.5 to 92
Nickel (Ni)Ni 3.5 to 5.5
Iron (Fe)Fe 3.0 to 5.0
Silicon (Si)Si 0.5 to 2.0
Aluminum (Al)Al 0.5 to 2.0
Zinc (Zn)Zn 0.5 to 2.0
Manganese (Mn)Mn 0 to 0.5
Lead (Pb)Pb 0 to 0.25
Residualsres. 0 to 0.3

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

Followup Questions

Similar Alloys

Further Reading

ASTM B505: Standard Specification for Copper Alloy Continuous Castings

Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials, ASM Handbook vol. 2, ASM International, 1993

CRC Materials Science and Engineering Handbook, 4th ed., James F. Shackelford et al. (editors), 2015