So Much Copper Is Used in New Energy Vehicles, Come and Learn More...

         The Development Status of Copper Processing in China
　　As is well known, China is one of the leading countries in the world in terms of copper production and consumption. When it comes to copper, it is familiar to everyone. However, many people are not aware that copper and copper alloys are not only ubiquitous in our daily lives but also serve as important foundational materials for national economic construction and high-tech development.
　　For China, the copper processing industry is large but not strong. There is an overcapacity of ordinary products, but the dependency on imports for high-end products is severe. For example, materials such as large-diameter corrosion-resistant copper alloy pipes for marine engineering, high-performance copper alloy coated wires for high-end electronic equipment, next-generation large-scale integrated circuit high-density lead frames, and precision connectors for high-end electronic components mainly rely on imports.
　　Secondly, China's industrial scale is already the largest in the world, and its overall equipment and some technologies are close to or have reached international advanced levels;
　　However, under these circumstances, our process technology is overall lagging, production efficiency is low, and resource and energy consumption is high;
　　In addition, our basic research is insufficient, our innovation capability is weak, and original results do not have an advantage compared to foreign countries;
　　Finally, in our copper processing industry, competition for mid-to-low-end products is fierce, but critical products for high-end manufacturing rely on imports.
　　Jintian Copper, as a leading company in China's copper processing industry, has been committed to building the global influence of Chinese copper processing for over 30 years, contributing to modern industrial civilization.
　　Application of High-Performance Copper Alloy Materials in the Automotive Field
　　According to authoritative statistics, traditional internal combustion engine vehicles use 23 kilograms of copper, hybrid electric vehicles use 40 kilograms, plug-in hybrid electric vehicles use 60 kilograms, and electric vehicles use 83 kilograms. It can be seen that with the continuous development of new energy vehicles, the demand for copper materials in the automotive industry will increase.
　　In addition, the charging industry supporting electric vehicles also has a strong demand for copper materials. The main power equipment for charging stations includes power cables and transformers, as well as circuit breakers, fuses, various switches, and connectors. The main copper components for charging piles include charging cables, charging module connectors, and various switches.
　　The high-performance copper alloy materials used in the automotive industry include:
　　Complex brass: Used in structural friction parts like automotive synchronizer rings. The synchronizer is a key component between the input and output shafts of a vehicle's gearbox, and its role is to achieve synchronization of gears with different speeds before engagement during gear shifting. Its performance requirements include good wear resistance, stable friction coefficient, excellent mechanical properties, non-wear on counterpart cone surfaces, good oil compatibility, good heat/thermal conductivity, easy processing, and low cost.
　　Dispersion strengthened copper: Resistance welding is a method where workpieces are combined under electrode pressure, utilizing resistance heat generated at the contact surface of the joint and adjacent areas to weld. Each car body has about 4000-6000 resistance welding points. Resistance welding electrode materials require sufficient high-temperature hardness and strength, high oxidation resistance with minimal alloying tendency with weld materials, suitable electrical and thermal conductivity at both room and high temperatures, and good processing performance. Dispersion strengthened copper alloy (DSC) offers optimal physical and mechanical properties, combining high strength, high conductivity, and high thermal stability.
　　Compared to traditional internal oxidation processes, this new short-process production technique introduces an original "reactive synthesis" technology, using a new type of oxygen source for "reactive synthesis" treatment, ensuring complete reactions and obtaining pure nano γ-Al2O3 particles, eliminating impurity phases introduced by solid oxygen sources in the "internal oxidation method".
　　Copper-nickel-silicon: In 1927, M.G. Corson discovered that using Ni and Si in a copper matrix can produce an aging effect, achieving high strength, high elasticity, good electrical conductivity, and excellent stress relaxation resistance. Countries around the world have conducted theoretical and industrial research on Cu-Ni-Si alloys.
　　Under different aging conditions, the hardness of the alloy rapidly increases to a peak with the increase of the Ni/Si ratio, then slowly decreases eventually stabilizing, while the conductivity shows a single-peak curve with a rapid initial increase followed by a slow increase eventually stabilizing; when Ni/Si=3.6~5.1, the alloy hardness is optimal.
　　Copper-chromium system: A typical age-hardening alloy, the bcc structure chromium phase is the main strengthening phase of the alloy, with high conductivity, good strength, and excellent stress relaxation resistance. Countries around the world have conducted theoretical and industrial research on Cu-Cr system alloys. Key production technologies include high-temperature solid solution treatment and deformation heat treatment technology for copper-chromium alloys. The chromium content directly affects the solution temperature, and the reasonable matching of solution treatment with subsequent deformation heat treatment directly determines the alloy's performance. Bending forming and mechanical performance control technology for copper-chromium alloys; the strengthening mechanism of copper-chromium alloys mainly relies on age hardening and work hardening, and a reasonable match of strengthening methods will benefit bending forming and strength control. Zirconium element substitution technology, based on application scenarios, thoroughly examines the synergistic effects of alloy elements on the comprehensive performance of copper-chromium alloys to select reasonable substitute elements.
　　Summary and Suggestions
　　High-performance copper alloy materials are widely used in automotive cooling systems, electronic power systems, braking systems, and hydraulic systems, serving as key foundational raw materials for important automotive components. The automotive industry has become one of the important application fields for copper alloy materials. As cars develop towards electrification and intelligence, higher demands are placed on the comprehensive performance of copper alloy materials. Given the material costs and fixed materials for car models, automotive component materials are mainly brass, bronze, and some C70250 alloys. The promotion and use of high-performance copper alloys require collaborative efforts from industry, academia, research, and application to jointly advance the automotive and copper processing industries towards high-end development.
　　The high-end copper alloy rods, wires, plates, strips, copper bars, and copper wires produced by Jintian Copper have extremely wide applications in the automotive field. In addition, Jintian Copper can also provide high-performance electromagnetic wires, NdFeB magnetic materials, and other products, focusing on supporting new energy vehicle drive motor components. It is one of the few high-end manufacturing enterprises that can provide one-stop procurement services for copper and copper alloy raw materials for new energy vehicles in the market.