Copper Nickel Alloy 70/30 – UNS C71500 – Cupronickel

Copper Nickel Alloy 70/30 – UNS C71500 –

Cupronickel
By Reginald Davey Sep 27 2012

Updated by Reginald Davey 08/09/22

Topics Covered
Introduction
Chemical Composition
Physical Properties
Mechanical Properties
Other Designations
Fabrication and Heat Treatment
Annealing
Cold Working
Hot Working
Welding
Forging
Machinability
Applications

Introduction
Copper nickel alloys are comprised of 2% to 30% nickel and have high oxidation resistance
and stress corrosion cracking resistance. Their high oxidation resistance is seen in moist air
and steam. Their high oxidation resistance is seen in moist air and steam. These alloys are
thermally stable and possess moderate strength even under elevated temperature
conditions. The corrosion resistance and strength of these alloys are improved by the
addition of manganese, iron, niobium, and or chromium. Copper nickel alloys also have
good fabricability and high inherent resistance to biofouling.

The corrosion resistance and strength of these alloys are improved by the addition of
manganese, iron, niobium, and or chromium.

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Copper Nickel Alloy 70/30 – UNS C71500 – Cupronickel

Cupronickel indian coin. Image Credit: Jan Zwolinski/Shutterstock.com

The soluble nature of nickel in copper provides the copper nickel alloys with single-phase
alpha structures. The alpha dendrites in the cast structures contain a large amount of nickel
starting from the center up to the edge of the dendrite. A large quantity of nickel is also
present in interdendritic regions. The dendrite structure is broken by mechanical treatments.
The alloying elements do not get homogenized even by repeated thermal and mechanical
treatments.

Copper nickel alloys are of two types which include 70/30 and 90/10. The 70/30 copper
nickel alloys have great resistance to sea water-related corrosion due to the presence of
significant amounts of manganese and iron.

Copper nickel alloys are used in the following areas:

Desalination units
Hydraulic lines
Fish cages for aquaculture
Heat exchangers and condensers
Sea water pipework
Offshore fire water systems
Tubes for power plants and ships
Pumps, valves, sheathing and fittings for ship hulls

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Copper Nickel Alloy 70/30 – UNS C71500 – Cupronickel

Properties, Chemical Composition, and Other

Designations
There are several beneficial properties of copper nickel alloys that help them meet the
tough rigors of applications they are used for. Copper nickel 70/30 alloy is a dense metal
with a high melting point.

Chemical Composition
The chemical composition of UNS C71500 copper nickel alloys is outlined in the following
table.

Element Content (%)

Copper, Cu 70.0
Nickel, Ni 30.0

Physical Properties
The following table shows the physical properties of UNS C71500 copper nickel alloys.

Properties Metric Imperial

Density 8.94 g/cm3 0.323 lb/in3
Melting point 2140°F 1171°C

Mechanical Properties
The mechanical properties of UNS C71500 copper nickel alloys are displayed in the
following table.

Properties Metric Imperial

Tensile strength, ultimate 372-517 MPa 54000-75000 psi
Tensile strength, yield (depending on temper) 88.0-483 MPa 12800-70100 psi
Elongation at break (in 381 mm) 45.0% 45.0%
Charpy impact 107 J 78.9 ft-lb
Machinability (UNS C36000 (free-cutting brass) = 100%) 20% 20%
Shear modulus 57.0 GPa 8270 ksi
Poisson's ratio 0.34 0.34
Elastic modulus 150 GPa 21800 ksi

Other Designations
Equivalent materials to UNS C71500 copper nickel alloys are:

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Copper Nickel Alloy 70/30 – UNS C71500 – Cupronickel

ASME SB111 ASME SB171 ASME SB359 ASME SB395

ASME SB466 ASME SB467 ASME SB543 ASTM B111
ASTM B122 ASTM B151 ASTM B171 ASTM B359
ASTM B395 ASTM B432 ASTM B466 ASTM B543
ASTM B552 ASTM B552 ASTM B608 ASTM F467
ASTM F468 DIN 2.0882 MIL C-15726 MIL T-15005
MIL T-16420 MIL T-22214 SAE J461 SAE J463

Fabrication and Heat Treatment

UNS C71500 copper nickel alloys are annealed at temperatures between 649 and 816°C
(1200 and 1500°F.) UNS C71500 copper nickel alloys have good cold working capacity and
can be hot formed efficiently.

Copper nickel 70/30 alloys can be welded using spot welding, coated metal arc welding,
butt welding, gas shielded arc welding, brazing, seam welding, soldering, and oxyacetylene
welding processes. Temperatures between 927 and 1038°C (1700 and 1900°F) are suitable
for the 70/30 copper nickel alloys. The machinability rating of copper nickel 70/30 alloys is
20%.

Annealing
UNS C71500 copper nickel alloys are annealed at temperatures between 649 and 816°C
(1200 and 1500°F)

Cold Working
UNS C71500 copper nickel alloys have good cold working capacity.

Hot Working
Copper nickel 70/30 alloys are hot formed in an excellent manner.

Welding
Copper nickel 70/30 alloys can be welded using gas shielded arc welding, spot welding,
coated metal arc welding, butt welding, seam welding, brazing, soldering and oxyacetylene
welding processes.

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Copper Nickel Alloy 70/30 – UNS C71500 – Cupronickel

Forging
Temperatures between 927 and 1038°C (1700 and 1900°F) are suitable for the 70/30
copper nickel alloys.

Machinability
The machinability rating of copper nickel 70/30 alloys is 20%.

Industrial Applications
UNS C75100 copper nickel alloys are used for applications that ordinary stainless steel is
insufficient for, in environments where corrosion is a commonplace issue that affects the
durability of parts and overall cost-effectiveness. The properties of copper nickel alloys
make them highly beneficial for these industrial applications.

The main application for these alloys is in the underwater industry, where corrosion is a
persistent problem that impacts the performance of metals used in parts. They are used in
applications such as offshore piping, seawater cooling, and firewater systems.

Copper-nickel 70/30 alloys are commonly employed in desalination plants, both for multi-
stage flash and multiple effect distillation plants. Alloy choice depends on both the corrosion
conditions in the plant’s various parts and cost considerations. These alloys are used in
heat recovery and brine heater components in multi-stage flash plants and for evaporator
tubes and final heat recovery exchangers in multiple effect distillation plants.

Because of their resistance to seawater, these alloys are also used in the maritime industry
as materials for components such as cooling systems, heat exchangers, and piping. In fact,
naval seawater piping and condensers were the original applications of copper-nickel 70/30
alloys. A recent, novel, but limited use of these industrial materials in the maritime industry
is in boat hull plates and sheathing.

These alloys are also increasingly being applied in the power generation sector. In fossil
fuel and nuclear power plants, materials that can perform sufficiently in heat transfer
processes are in high demand. Components that require suitable materials include coolers,
condensers, heat exchangers, valves, and pipework.

Copper-nickel alloys can be used successfully in a range of water types including seawater,
freshwater, brackish water, cooling tower water, and water with high proportions of

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Copper Nickel Alloy 70/30 – UNS C71500 – Cupronickel

dissolved solids.

Other uses for these alloys are as caging for aquaculture applications and as antimicrobial
surfaces. The wide range of industrial applications makes copper-nickel 70/30 alloys key
materials in multiple sectors.

More from AZoM: Properties and Classifications of Copper-Nickel Alloys

(Cupronickel)

Further Reading and More Information

Nickel Institute (2022) Applications of copper-nickel alloys [online] nickelinstitute.org.
Available at:

https://nickelinstitute.org/en/about-nickel-and-its-applications/copper-nickel-
alloys/applications-of-copper-nickel-alloys/

Disclaimer: The views expressed here are those of the author expressed in their private
capacity and do not necessarily represent the views of AZoM.com Limited T/A
AZoNetwork the owner and operator of this website. This disclaimer forms part of the
Terms and conditions of use of this website.

Written by

Reginald Davey
Reg Davey is a freelance copywriter and editor based in Nottingham in the United Kingdom.
Writing for AZoNetwork represents the coming together of various interests and fields he has been
interested and involved in over the years, including Microbiology, Biomedical Sciences, and
Environmental Science.

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