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Copper Alloy

C110 Copper

C110 (ETP copper) is electrolytic tough-pitch copper, essentially pure, prized for the highest electrical and thermal conductivity of any common engineering metal (391 W/m·K thermal here). It's soft (40 HB), highly ductile (45% elongation), and low-strength (220 MPa). You specify it for conductivity, not mechanical performance.

How C110 Copper machines

Rated 3/5, but the number understates the pain. Pure copper is gummy and ductile, so it smears, forms built-up edge, and produces long stringy chips that wrap the tool. Use very sharp, high-positive-rake tools, high speeds, light-to-moderate feeds, and good lubrication. It machines nothing like free-cutting brass; for volume turning, prefer C145 tellurium copper.

Manufacturing & processing

CNC machining is listed, but C110 also excels at cold forming, stamping, and drawing thanks to its ductility. Excellent for soldering and brazing; it's the standard for electrical joints. The 'tough-pitch' oxygen content makes it prone to hydrogen embrittlement if brazed or welded in reducing atmospheres, choose oxygen-free C101/C102 for those. Solderable and platable.

Typical applications

Electrical bus bars, terminals, connectors, and grounding hardware; windings and high-conductivity contacts; heat sinks, heat exchangers, and thermal-management parts; RF and grounding components. Chosen wherever moving current or heat efficiently is the design goal and strength is secondary.

When to choose it

Choose C110 when maximum electrical or thermal conductivity is the requirement and the part isn't heavily loaded. If you must machine many parts, C145 tellurium copper conducts nearly as well but cuts far better. If you need strength with some conductivity, consider beryllium or phosphor bronze.

Suitable surface finishes

Common finishes for C110 Copper: nickel plating, chrome plating, electropolishing, brushed. Use the finish selector →

FAQ

Why is pure copper hard to machine despite a 3/5 rating?
Copper is extremely ductile and gummy, so instead of breaking into chips it smears and forms built-up edge, producing long stringy swarf that wraps the tool and mars the finish. Sharp high-rake tools, high speed, and lubrication help, but for production turning, free-machining C145 tellurium copper is far better.
What makes C110 the choice for electrical parts?
It's nearly pure copper with conductivity around 100% IACS, the benchmark for electrical materials, and very high thermal conductivity (391 W/m·K). No common structural metal moves current or heat better at this cost, so it's standard for bus bars, terminals, and heat sinks where strength is secondary.
Can I weld or braze C110?
It solders and brazes well, but its tough-pitch oxygen content makes it susceptible to hydrogen embrittlement when heated in reducing atmospheres. For brazing, welding, or high-temperature service, specify oxygen-free copper (C101/C102) instead to avoid embrittlement at the joint.

Property values are typical/nominal for early guidance and vary by temper, grade, supplier and heat treatment. Confirm critical specs against a certified datasheet or with an mfgiq engineer.