Copper alloy and copper alloy sheet

Abstract

Provided is a copper alloy containing 18% by mass to 30% by mass of Zn, 1% by mass to 1.5% by mass of Ni, 0.2% by mass to 1% by mass of Sn, and 0.003% by mass to 0.06% by mass of P, the remainder including Cu and unavoidable impurities. Relationships of 17≦f1=[Zn]+5×[Sn]−2×[Ni]≦30, 14≦f2=[Zn]−0.5×[Sn]−3×[Ni]≦26, 8≦f3={f1×(32−f1)} 1/2 ×[Ni]≦23, 1.3≦[Ni]+[Sn]≦2.4, 1.5≦[Ni]/[Sn]≦5.5, and 20≦[Ni]/[P]≦400 are satisfied. The copper alloy has a metallographic structure of an α single phase.

1 - 8 . (canceled) 
     
     
         9 . A method of manufacturing a copper alloy sheet formed from a copper alloy,
 the copper alloy consisting:   18% by mass to 30% by mass of Zn;   1% by mass to 1.5% by mass of Ni;   0.2% by mass to 1% by mass of Sn; and   0.003% by mass to 0.06% by mass of P,   the remainder including Cu and unavoidable impurities,   wherein a Zn content [Zn] in terms of % by mass, a Sn content [Sn] in terms of % by mass, a Ni content [Ni] in terms of % by mass, and a P content [P] in terms of % by mass satisfy relationships of:
   17 ≦f 1=[Zn]+5×[Sn]−2×[Ni]≦30,
 
   14 ≦f 2=[Zn]−0.5×[Sn]−3×[Ni]≦26,
 
   8 ≦f 3 ={f 1×(32 −f 1)} 1/2 ×[Ni]≦23,
 
   1.3≦[Ni]+[Sn]≦2.4,
 
   1.5≦[Ni]/[Sn]≦5.5, and
 
   20≦[Ni]/[P]≦400, and
 
   the copper alloy has a metallographic structure of an α single phase, and   the method comprising:   a casting process;   a pair of cold-rolling process and annealing process;   a cold-rolling process;   a recrystallization heat treatment process;   a finish cold-rolling process; and   a recovery heat treatment process,   wherein a process of subjecting the copper alloy or the rolled material to hot-working is not included,   one or both of a combination of the cold-rolling process and the recrystallization heat treatment process, and a combination of the finish cold-rolling process and the recovery heat treatment process are carried out,   the recrystallization heat treatment process is carried out by using a continuous heat treatment furnace under conditions in which a highest arrival temperature of the rolled material is 560° C. to 790° C., and a retention time in a high-temperature region from the highest arrival temperature-50° C. to the highest arrival temperature is 0.04 minutes to 1.0 minute, and   in the recovery heat treatment process, the copper alloy material obtained after the finish cold-rolling is subjected to a recovery heat treatment by using a continuous heat treatment furnace under conditions in which a highest arrival temperature of the rolled material is 150° C. to 580° C., and a retention time in a high-temperature region from the highest arrival temperature-50° C. to the highest arrival temperature is 0.02 minutes to 100 minutes.   
     
     
         10 . A method of manufacturing a copper alloy sheet formed from a copper alloy,
 the copper alloy consisting:   19% by mass to 29% by mass of Zn;   1% by mass to 1.5% by mass of Ni;   0.3% by mass to 1% by mass of Sn; and   0.005% by mass to 0.06% by mass of P,   the remainder including Cu and unavoidable impurities,   wherein a Zn content [Zn] in terms of % by mass, a Sn content [Sn] in terms of % by mass, a Ni content [Ni] in terms of % by mass, and a P content [P] in terms of % by mass satisfy relationships of:
   18 ≦f 1=[Zn]+5×[Sn]−2×[Ni]≦30,
 
   15 ≦f 2=[Zn]−0.5×[Sn]−3×[Ni]≦25.5,
 
   9 ≦f 3 ={f 1×(32 −f 1)} 1/2 ×[Ni]≦22,
 
   1.4≦[Ni]+[Sn]≦2.4,
 
   1.7≦[Ni]/[Sn]≦4.5, and
 
   22≦[Ni]/[P]≦220, and
 
   the copper alloy has a metallographic structure of an α single phase, and   the method comprising:   a casting process;   a pair of cold-rolling process and annealing process;   a cold-rolling process;   a recrystallization heat treatment process;   a finish cold-rolling process; and   a recovery heat treatment process,   wherein a process of subjecting the copper alloy or the rolled material to hot-working is not included,   one or both of a combination of the cold-rolling process and the recrystallization heat treatment process, and a combination of the finish cold-rolling process and the recovery heat treatment process are carried out,   the recrystallization heat treatment process is carried out by using a continuous heat treatment furnace under conditions in which a highest arrival temperature of the rolled material is 560° C. to 790° C., and a retention time in a high-temperature region from the highest arrival temperature-50° C. to the highest arrival temperature is 0.04 minutes to 1.0 minute, and   in the recovery heat treatment process, the copper alloy material obtained after the finish cold-rolling is subjected to a recovery heat treatment by using a continuous heat treatment furnace under conditions in which a highest arrival temperature of the rolled material is 150° C. to 580° C., and a retention time in a high-temperature region from the highest arrival temperature-50° C. to the highest arrival temperature is 0.02 minutes to 100 minutes.   
     
     
         11 . A method of manufacturing a copper alloy sheet formed from a copper alloy,
 the copper alloy consisting:   18% by mass to 30% by mass of Zn;   1% by mass to 1.5% by mass of Ni;   0.2% by mass to 1% by mass of Sn;   0.003% by mass to 0.06% by mass of P; and   a total amount of 0.0005% by mass to 0.2% by mass of at least one or more kinds of elements selected from the groups consisting of Al, Fe, Co, Mg, Mn, Ti, Zr, Cr, Si, Sb, As, Pb, and rare-earth elements, each element being contained in an amount of 0.0005% by mass to 0.05% by mass, and the remainder including Cu and unavoidable impurities,   wherein a Zn content [Zn] in terms of % by mass, a Sn content [Sn] in terms of % by mass, a Ni content [Ni] in terms of % by mass, and a P content [P] in terms of % by mass satisfy relationships of:
   17 ≦f 1=[Zn]+5×[Sn]−2×[Ni]≦30,
 
   14 ≦f 2=[Zn]−0.5×[Sn]−3×[Ni]≦26,
 
   8 ≦f 3 ={f 1×(32 −f 1)} 1/2 ×[Ni]≦23,
 
   1.3≦[Ni]+[Sn]≦2.4,
 
   1.5≦[Ni]/[Sn]≦5.5, and
 
   20≦[Ni]/[P]≦400, and
 
   the copper alloy has a metallographic structure of an α single phase, and   the method comprising:   a casting process;   a pair of cold-rolling process and annealing process;   a cold-rolling process;   a recrystallization heat treatment process;   a finish cold-rolling process; and   a recovery heat treatment process,   wherein a process of subjecting the copper alloy or the rolled material to hot-working is not included,   one or both of a combination of the cold-rolling process and the recrystallization heat treatment process, and a combination of the finish cold-rolling process and the recovery heat treatment process are carried out,   the recrystallization heat treatment process is carried out by using a continuous heat treatment furnace under conditions in which a highest arrival temperature of the rolled material is 560° C. to 790° C., and a retention time in a high-temperature region from the highest arrival temperature-50° C. to the highest arrival temperature is 0.04 minutes to 1.0 minute, and   in the recovery heat treatment process, the copper alloy material obtained after the finish cold-rolling is subjected to a recovery heat treatment by using a continuous heat treatment furnace under conditions in which a highest arrival temperature of the rolled material is 150° C. to 580° C., and a retention time in a high-temperature region from the highest arrival temperature-50° C. to the highest arrival temperature is 0.02 minutes to 100 minutes.   
     
     
         12 . The method of manufacturing a copper alloy sheet formed from a copper alloy according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the copper alloy comprising conductivity is 18% IACS to 27% IACS, an average gain size is 2 μm to 12 μm, and circular or elliptical precipitates exist, and   an average particle size of the precipitates is 3 nm to 180 nm, or a proportion of the number of precipitates having a particle size of 3 nm to 180 nm among the precipitates is 70% or greater.   
     
     
         13 . The method of manufacturing a copper alloy sheet formed from a copper alloy according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the copper alloy comprising conductivity is 18% IACS to 27% IACS, an average gain size is 2 μm to 12 μm, and circular or elliptical precipitates exist, and   an average particle size of the precipitates is 3 nm to 180 nm, or a proportion of the number of precipitates having a particle size of 3 nm to 180 nm among the precipitates is 70% or greater.   
     
     
         14 . The method of manufacturing a copper alloy sheet formed from a copper alloy according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the copper alloy comprising conductivity is 18% IACS to 27% IACS, an average gain size is 2 μm to 12 μm, and circular or elliptical precipitates exist, and   an average particle size of the precipitates is 3 nm to 180 nm, or a proportion of the number of precipitates having a particle size of 3 nm to 180 nm among the precipitates is 70% or greater.   
     
     
         15 . The method of manufacturing a copper alloy sheet formed from a copper alloy according to  claim 9 ,
 wherein the copper alloy is used in parts of electronic and electrical apparatuses such as a connector, a terminal, a relay, and a switch.   
     
     
         16 . The method of manufacturing a copper alloy sheet formed from a copper alloy according to  claim 10 ,
 wherein the copper alloy is used in parts of electronic and electrical apparatuses such as a connector, a terminal, a relay, and a switch.   
     
     
         17 . The method of manufacturing a copper alloy sheet formed from a copper alloy according to  claim 11 ,
 wherein the copper alloy is used in parts of electronic and electrical apparatuses such as a connector, a terminal, a relay, and a switch.   
     
     
         18 . The method of manufacturing a copper alloy sheet formed from a copper alloy according to  claim 12 ,
 wherein the copper alloy is used in parts of electronic and electrical apparatuses such as a connector, a terminal, a relay, and a switch.   
     
     
         19 . The method of manufacturing a copper alloy sheet formed from a copper alloy according to  claim 13 ,
 wherein the copper alloy is used in parts of electronic and electrical apparatuses such as a connector, a terminal, a relay, and a switch.   
     
     
         20 . The method of manufacturing a copper alloy sheet formed from a copper alloy according to  claim 14 ,
 wherein the copper alloy is used in parts of electronic and electrical apparatuses such as a connector, a terminal, a relay, and a switch.