**Meet the editor**

Dr. Eng. Luca Collini is researcher in "Mechanical design and construction of machines" since 2005, at the Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Parma, Italy. As a lecturer of the Faculty of Engineering of Parma University, Dr. Eng. Collini teaches courses in the construction of machinery, technical drawing, and product design and development for mechanical and

management engineering students. At the present he is involved in the Socrates/Erasmus European Community program for the international mobility of students. He is author of over 70 journal papers and contributions of national and international conference proceedings, his research activity embraces the mechanical behavior of materials, in particular fatigue and fatigue crack resistance of metals, the advanced mechanical design methods, and the structural integrity assessment techniques based on vibration analysis.

Contents

**Preface VII** 

Chapter 1 **Copper and Copper Alloys:** 

Chapter 2 **Interaction of Copper** 

**Part 1 Introduction to the Copper Alloys 1** 

**Casting, Classification and Characteristic Microstructures 3**  Radomila Konečná and Stanislava Fintová

**Alloys with Hydrogen 31** 

**Part 2 Development of High-Performance Current Copper Alloys 49** 

Chapter 4 **Lead-Free Wrought Copper Alloys for** 

Kai Weber and H.-A. Kuhn

**Copper Structures 127** 

Chapter 5 **Mechanical Properties of Copper** 

Ludvík Kunz

Luca Collini

**Bushings and Sliding Elements 69** 

Chapter 6 **Fatigue Crack Resistance of Ultrafine-Grained** 

**Part 3 Archaeometallurgy of Copper Alloys 151** 

Chapter 7 **Bronze in Archaeology: A Review of the** 

Chapter 3 **Properties of High Performance** 

I. Peñalva, G. Alberro, F. Legarda, G. A. Esteban and B. Riccardi

H.-A. Kuhn, I. Altenberger, A. Käufler, H. Hölzl and M. Fünfer

**Alloys for Electromechanical Connectors 51** 

**Processed by Severe Plastic Deformation 93** 

**Archaeometallurgy of Bronze in Ancient Iran 153**  Omid Oudbashi, S. Mohammadamin Emami and Parviz Davami

### Contents

	- **Part 2 Development of High-Performance Current Copper Alloys 49**
	- **Part 3 Archaeometallurgy of Copper Alloys 151**

Preface

components with high technological content.

contrast of this two topics is fascinating in its own way.

subjected to a severe plastic deformation process.

interaction of copper with hydrogen.

of copper.

The use of copper and its alloys by humans goes back thousands of years. Probably copper is the most ancient metal extracted and processed by mankind. With good strength and ductility, ease of processing and good availability, copper has been for millennia an excellent material for creating objects, jewelry and tools of daily use or

Nowadays, copper is used in its pure state mostly in applications that require high heat or electric conductivity, while its alloys (bronzes and brasses) are widely used in several fields thanks to their excellent corrosion and wear resistance. Copper and its alloys have been and still are a great natural resource for the growth of mankind.

This book collects, without the claim to be exhaustive, the most recent contributions of engineers and scientists who perform research on this material. These contributions cover two main topics: the development and application of advanced techniques of analysis of ancient relics made of copper, and the application of recently studied alloys, enhanced in mechanical and environmental performances. In my opinion the

In order to facilitate its reading, the book has been rationally divided into three distinct sections. The first section contains two papers, the first on the classification of copper and its alloys according to the modern systems, the second on the basic mechanism of

The second section includes four contributions, two on the properties of alloys specifically developed for high-performance electromechanical connectors and for sliding elements, and two on the study of static and fatigue properties of copper

The third section includes two very interesting contributions on the archaeometallurgy

Sure that all these high-level contributions are of interest, I would like now to extend my sincere thanks to all those who contributed to the drafting of this book, and in

Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Parma

**Dr. Luca Collini,** 

Italy

particular to prof. R. Konecna and dr. L. Kunz for their kind assistance.

### Preface

The use of copper and its alloys by humans goes back thousands of years. Probably copper is the most ancient metal extracted and processed by mankind. With good strength and ductility, ease of processing and good availability, copper has been for millennia an excellent material for creating objects, jewelry and tools of daily use or components with high technological content.

Nowadays, copper is used in its pure state mostly in applications that require high heat or electric conductivity, while its alloys (bronzes and brasses) are widely used in several fields thanks to their excellent corrosion and wear resistance. Copper and its alloys have been and still are a great natural resource for the growth of mankind.

This book collects, without the claim to be exhaustive, the most recent contributions of engineers and scientists who perform research on this material. These contributions cover two main topics: the development and application of advanced techniques of analysis of ancient relics made of copper, and the application of recently studied alloys, enhanced in mechanical and environmental performances. In my opinion the contrast of this two topics is fascinating in its own way.

In order to facilitate its reading, the book has been rationally divided into three distinct sections. The first section contains two papers, the first on the classification of copper and its alloys according to the modern systems, the second on the basic mechanism of interaction of copper with hydrogen.

The second section includes four contributions, two on the properties of alloys specifically developed for high-performance electromechanical connectors and for sliding elements, and two on the study of static and fatigue properties of copper subjected to a severe plastic deformation process.

The third section includes two very interesting contributions on the archaeometallurgy of copper.

Sure that all these high-level contributions are of interest, I would like now to extend my sincere thanks to all those who contributed to the drafting of this book, and in particular to prof. R. Konecna and dr. L. Kunz for their kind assistance.

> **Dr. Luca Collini,**  Department of Industrial Engineering, University of Parma Italy

**Part 1** 

**Introduction to the Copper Alloys** 

**Part 1** 

**Introduction to the Copper Alloys** 

**1** 

*University of Žilina Slovak Republic* 

**Copper and Copper Alloys:** 

**Casting, Classification and** 

Radomila Konečná and Stanislava Fintová

**Characteristic Microstructures** 

Copper is non-polymorphous metal with face centered cubic lattice (FCC, Fig. 1). Pure copper is a reddish color (Fig. 2); zinc addition produces a yellow color, and nickel addition produces a silver color. Melting temperature is 1083 °C and density is 8900 kg.m-3, which is three times heavier than aluminum. The heat and electric conductivity of copper is lower compared to the silver, but it is 1.5 times larger compared to the aluminum. Pure copper

Fig. 1. FCC lattice (http://cst-www.nrl.navy.mil/lattice/struk/a1.html)

Fig. 2. Natural copper (http://jeanes.webnode.sk/prvky/med/)

**1. Introduction** 

**1.1 Copper** 
