Work Item
ASTM WK85830
Revision of B49-20 Standard Specification for Copper Rod for Electrical Purposes
Rationale
Rationale: copper recycling is a key factor for a sustainable activity and longer life cycle of copper electrical conductors. The post production and post consumer grade 1 copper scrap is inherently contaminated with various elements because of the limitations concerning the segregation, recycling and quality inspection of the copper scrap. Some of the contamination elements are deleterious for the key physical properties of the copper rod, like electrical conductivity and annealing response, but others can be allowed in a higher amount than the actual. The actual B49 chemistry table of the C11040 (ETP) shows the same impurities and levels than the one mentioned in the copper cathode grade 1 of B115 thus adapted only for copper rod production out of grade1 copper cathodes.
In order to respond to the new reality of copper rod production using ETP copper AND recycling content, the chemistry table of ASTM B49 needs to be adapted by inserting a new copper type (ETP-R, ''R'' from recycling content) and new UNS number (C11050) that can allow higher amounts for some of the typical impurities that can be present in the high purity copper scrap. However the specific chemical elements to consider have to be limited to the non-deleterious type and amounts in order to preserve the physical properties of the C11040 rod (refer to 7.1 Electrical conductivity and 8.4 Annealability). Iron (Fe), Tin (Sn) and Nickel (Ni) are the 3 chemical elements that have been identified as being eligible for this purpose.
Work Item Status
Date Initiated: 04-03-2023
Technical Contact: Florin Teglas
Item: 000
Ballot:
Status: