NASA LogoNTRSNTRS - NASA Technical Reports ServerSearchmore_vertCollectionsAboutNewsHelpLogin Back to ResultsConductivity of a Copper-Carbon Covetic CompositeNASA is currently engaged in the development of highly electrically conductive wire for space and aviation power and propulsion applications. Higher levels of electrical conductivity and lower densities compared to copper and aluminum are needed to improve the efficiency of commercial aviation and space flight. Carbon, in various forms, is being considered as a component in composites to increase conductivity and decrease density in Cu and Al. One form of carbon that is currently receiving much interest is known as covectic. The technology currently known as covetics was first introduced by Shugart and Scherer whose patents claimed "Carbon can be incorporated into any of these metals by melting the metal, mixing the carbon into the molten metal and, while mixing, applying a current of sufficient amperage to the molten mixture such that the carbon becomes incorporated into the metal, thereby forming a single phase metal-carbon material." It is reported that in this process a conversion reaction occurs with the carbon forming covalent bonds with the host metal, and that covetic processing enables higher carbon solubility and improvements in properties. Although there is a growing body of work supporting covetic materials, it is still a very new and somewhat controversial field. Composition, density, and electrical conductivity measurements of a covetically processed alloy ingot of Cu and C, with a nominal composition of Cu-0.4wt.% C, were made. A pure Cu ingot was similarly processed for comparison. Sections of these ingots were worked into wire and tested. Only small amounts of C could be detected in the Cu-0.4wt.% C ingot, and trace amounts (0.006 wt.%) in the wire. All wires had densities very close to the full density of pure Cu, indicating a high level of Cu purity and low void fraction. Finally, the electrical conductivity of the Cu-0.4wt.% C wires were 9% lower than the samples similarly processed but without C additions. The wires made without C additions had conductivities approximately equal to pure Cu. The low conductivity of the Cu-0.4wt.% C material is believed to be due to: (1) a structure of interfaces in the wire created by collapsed voids lined with elemental C, (2) impurities, such as Fe in the Cu, which came from the added C, and (3) a small volume fraction of voids.Document ID20180003330Acquisition SourceGlenn Research CenterDocument TypeTechnical Memorandum (TM)AuthorsDegroh, Henry C.*(NASA Glenn Research Center Cleveland, OH, United States)*Balachandran, U. Balu*(Argonne National Lab. IL, United States)*Date AcquiredJune 4, 2018Publication DateMay 1, 2018Subject CategoryMetals And Metallic MaterialsReport/Patent NumberGRC-E-DAA-TN52344NASA/TM-2018- 219790Funding Number(s)WBS: WBS 081876.02.03.05.02.04Distribution LimitsPublicCopyrightPublic Use Permitted.Available DownloadsNameType20180003330.pdfSTIcloud_downloadcontent_copyvisibilityRelated RecordsThere are no records associated with this record.visibility_offNo Preview Available
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