Copper-nickel (also known as cupronickel) alloys are widely used for marine applications due to their excellent resistance to seawater corrosion, low macrofouling rates, and good fabricability. They have provided reliable service for decades while offering effective solutions to today’s technological challenges.
The addition of nickel to copper improves strength and corrosion resistance while allowing the alloy to remain ductile. Other elements can be added to copper-nickel to increase strength, corrosion resistance, hardening, weldability and castability. 90-10 copper-nickel (C70600, CW352H), an alloy with 90% copper and 10% nickel, is the most commonly used alloy. It can be found in naval and commercial shipping, offshore oil and gas production as well as desalination and power generation. Alloys with 30% nickel content (C71500, C71640) and those which are more highly alloyed with aluminum, chromium or tin are used where greater resistance to seawater flow, sand abrasion, wear and galling, as well as higher mechanical properties, are required.
Non-marine applications for copper-nickel include cryogenic applications, brake tubing and silver-colored coins, such as the 1- and 2-euro denominations and the 5-cent U.S. nickel. Since copper-nickel alloys have strong antimicrobial properties, they are marketed as hygienic "touch materials" to reduce cross-contamination and infections, particularly in hospital intensive care units.
C110 Copper has a wide range of applications, from plumbing to electrical conductivity used in motors, electromagnets and bus bars. Copper is an excellent choice for hot and cold forming applications as well as applications that require extensive machining.
This section offers a broad technical overview of copper-nickel alloys and a wealth of information/data useful for good practices in design, fabrication and application. It is organized as follows:
Applications by Industry:
Marine: Guidelines for Seawater System Design and Operation are presented; Seawater System Components are detailed; Sections cover Cu-Ni in Desalination Plants, Offshore Oil and Gas, Power Generation, Shipbuilding and Ship Repair, Boat Hulls, and Marine Antimicrobial applications.
Non-Marine: Coinage; Brake Tubing.
Types of Alloys: Marine Alloys; Alloy Compositions; Alloy Additives and Impurities; Standards; Non-Marine Alloys; Cross-Reference Table.
Product Forms: Tables of Typical Forms and Sizes; ASTM, EN and ISO Standards; Castings; Link to Product Supplier's Search List.
Standards: Product Forms; Compositions; Design.
Properties: Corrosion Resistance; Macrofouling Reduction; Mechanical; Physical; Cryogenic; Antimicrobial; Environmental Properties.
Fabrication: Joining; Welding; Brazing; Soldering; Machining Parameters; Pipework Fabrication Methods; Weld Instruction Videos.
Copper Nickel Availability Alloy Steel Age supplies Copper Nickel in the form of Angle, Sheets, Plates, Flanges, Flat Bars, Pipe Fittings, Pipes, Chnnels and flanges.
Grades :
Cupro Nickel 90/10 (C70600), Cupro Nickel 70/30 (C71500), UNS C71640
Standard :
ASTM B151 / ASME SB151
Dimensions :
AEN, DIN, JIS, ASTM, BS, ASME, AISI
Cu-Ni Angle
5mm to 9mm
Cu-Ni T Beam
3″ thru 12.31″
Cu-Ni 90/10 Chain
1/8 inch – 1/2 inch Diameter
Thickness
3.0mm – 120mm
Length
3MTR, 4MTR, 5MTR, 6MTR, or Custom Cut Sizes
Types
Stuctural Steel Angle, Bars, Equal, Unequal, L, T, Hot Rolled
Grades :
Cupro Nickel 90/10 (C70600), Cupro Nickel 70/30 (C71500), UNS C71640
Specifications
ASTM B171 / ASME SB171
Dimensions :
ASTM, ASME and API
Thickness :
0.1mm to 12 mm Thk
Size :
1000 mm x 2000 mm, 1220 mm x 2440 mm, 1500 mm x 3000 mm, 2000 mm x 2000 mm, 2000 mm x 4000 mm
Form :
Plain Sheet, Shim Sheet, Perforated Sheet
Grades :
Cupro Nickel 90/10 (C70600), Cupro Nickel 70/30 (C71500), UNS C71640
Specifications
ASTM B171 / ASME SB171
Dimensions :
ASTM, ASME and API
Thickness :
0.1mm to 12 mm Thk
Size :
1000 mm x 2000 mm, 1220 mm x 2440 mm, 1500 mm x 3000 mm, 2000 mm x 2000 mm, 2000 mm x 4000 mm
Form :
Chequered Plate
Grades :
Cupro Nickel 90/10 (C70600), Cupro Nickel 70/30 (C71500), UNS C71640
Standard :
ASTM B151 / ASME SB151
Dimensions :
ANSI/ASME B16.5, B 16.47 Series A & B, B16.48, BS4504, BS 10, EN-1092, DIN, etc.
Standard :
ANSI Flanges, ASME Flanges, BS Flanges, DIN Flanges, EN Flanges, etc.
Size :
1/2" (15 NB) to 48" (1200NB)
Class/Pressure :
150#, 300#, 600#, 900#, 1500#, 2500#, PN6, PN10, PN16, PN25, PN40, PN64 etc.
Flange Face Type :
Flate Face (FF), Raised Face (RF), Ring Type Joint (RTJ)
Form :
Slip on flanges, Socket weld flanges, Forged flanges, Blind flanges, Welding neck flange, Ring type joint flange, Spectacle blind flange, Reducing flange, Threaded / Screwed flange, Tongue and Groove flange, Long weld neck flange, Plate flange, ASME B16.5 flange
Grades :
Cupro Nickel 90/10 (C70600), Cupro Nickel 70/30 (C71500), UNS C71640
Dimensions :
EN, DIN, JIS, ASTM, BS, ASME, AISI
Standard :
ASTM B151 / ASME SB151
Diameter :
3mm to 100mm
Thickness
1 mm to 60mm
Width:
5mm to 350mm
Standards
IS191 IS1897
Types
Copper Nickel Flat Bars, Cu-Ni Flat Bars
Specifications :
ASTM B466, B467
Dimensions :
ASME/ANSI B16.9, ASME B16.28, MSS-SP-43
Size :
1/2" to 24" NB to 24″NB in
Type :
Seamless / Welded / Fabricated
Schedule :
Sch 5 TO Sch XXS.
Thickness :
SCH 10, SCH20, SCH30, SCH40
Grades :
Cupro Nickel 90/10 (C70600), Cupro Nickel 70/30 (C71500), UNS C71640
Grades :
Copper Nickel 90/10, Cupro-Nickel 70/30
Specifications :
ASTM B466, B467 / ASME SB466, SB467
Standard :
ASTM, ASME and API
Outer Diameter :
4.00 to 22.00 mm
Wall Range :
Between 0.15mm and 1.50 mm
Length :
Single Random, Double Random & Required Length
Thickness :
0.3mm – 50 mm
Type :
Seamless, Welded, ERW
End :
Plain End, Beveled End, Treaded
Grades :
Copper Nickel 90/10, Cupro-Nickel 70/30
Standard :
ASTM B151 / ASME SB151
Dimensions :
ASTM, ASME and API
Cu-Ni Channel
40mm*20mm~300mm*300mm
Thickness
3.0mm – 120mm
Length
3MTR, 4MTR, 5MTR, 6MTR, or Custom Cut Sizes
Types
Structural Steel U, C, Miscellaneous Channels, Hot Rolled Channel
Grades :
Copper Nickel 90/10, Cupro-Nickel 70/30
Dimensions :
EN, DIN, JIS, ASTM, BS, ASME, AISI
Standard :
ASTM B151 / ASME SB151
Size :
5 mm To 500 mm
Diameter
0.1 mm to 100 mm
Length
100 mm To 3000 mm Long & Above
Types
Round, Square, Recatangle, Hexagonal, Round Threaded
Grades :
Copper Nickel 90/10, Cupro-Nickel 70/30
Standard :
ASTM B151 / ASME SB151
Dimensions :
ASTM, ASME and API
Cu-Ni T Beam
3″ thru 12.31″
Thickness
3.0mm – 120mm
Length
3MTR, 4MTR, 5MTR, 6MTR, or Custom Cut Sizes
Types
T Beams, Hot Rolled T Beams