Copper Alloy C10100 · supply condition
Copper Alloy C10100-H04
Properties of the H04 condition, compared with the other C10100 tempers.
Standard hard temper for rod, bar and wire: highest strength commonly stocked, best for machining and load-bearing conductors.
What is C10100-H04?
C10100-H04 is C10100 supplied in the H04 condition — standard hard temper for rod, bar and wire: highest strength commonly stocked, best for machining and load-bearing conductors. C10100-H04 has a yield strength of 310 MPa (45 ksi) and a tensile strength of 345 MPa (50 ksi) — stronger than 65% of copper alloy grades. Elongation at break is 6% and the elastic modulus is 128 GPa (18.6 Msi). C10100-H04 has a density of 8.94 g/cm³ (0.323 lb/in³), heavier than 90% of copper alloy grades. It melts at 1,083°C (1,981 °F). O is the default condition FabDigit quotes; H04 is available on request or by drawing note.
Advantages
- Polishes to a fine finish — 85/100, better than 92% of copper alloy grades
- Conducts heat well — 385 W/m·K (222.4 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 91% of copper alloy grades
- High electrical conductivity — 97 % IACS, better than 91% of copper alloy grades
- Readily welded — 70/100, better than 84% of copper alloy grades
Limitations
- Limited service temperature — 140°C (284 °F), worse than 100% of copper alloy grades
- Limited ductility — 6%, worse than 89% of copper alloy grades
C10100-H04 properties
Typical room-temperature values for C10100-H04 — 17 properties are specific to this condition; the rest are grade-level values shared by every C10100 temper. Each bar shows where the value sits among the copper alloy grades in FabDigit's library — further right is higher.
Physical3
C10100-H04 has a density of 8.94 g/cm³ (0.323 lb/in³), heavier than 90% of copper alloy grades. It melts at 1,083°C (1,981 °F).
Mechanical12
C10100-H04 has a yield strength of 310 MPa (45 ksi) and a tensile strength of 345 MPa (50 ksi) — stronger than 65% of copper alloy grades. Elongation at break is 6% and the elastic modulus is 128 GPa (18.6 Msi).
Thermal6
C10100-H04 is rated for continuous service to 140°C (284 °F). It conducts heat at 385 W/m·K (222.4 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 91% of copper alloy grades. Thermal expansion is 17.7 µm/m·K (9.83 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
C10100-H04 conducts electricity at 97 % IACS, better than 91% of copper alloy grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (58/100), worse than 76% of copper alloy grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of C10100-H04 takes about 60 MJ of energy and emits 3.8 kg of CO₂ — more than 69% of copper alloy grades. Typical recycled content is 5%.
Manufacturability7
C10100-H04's machinability is poor (32/100, worse than 56% of copper alloy grades); weldability very good (70/100); formability fair (35/100).
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Other C10100 tempers and conditions
C10100 is also supplied in 11 other conditions. The full side-by-side table is on the C10100 overview.
- ODefaultDefault stocked condition: maximum ductility and conductivity for deep drawing, spinning, gaskets, RF/vacuum parts and cryogenic conductors.69 MPa yield · 45 HB
- H08Spring-temper strip and wire for contacts, RF gaskets and springs where conductivity must stay near 100% IACS.345 MPa yield · 105 HB
- H06Heavily cold-worked strip/wire where strength and springback matter more than any forming ability.330 MPa yield · 100 HB
- H04Standard hard temper for rod, bar and wire: highest strength commonly stocked, best for machining and load-bearing conductors.310 MPa yield · 95 HB
- H03Intermediate step between half and full hard where extra stiffness is needed but full hard is too brittle to form.275 MPa yield · 87 HB
- H02Most common cold-worked strip/bar temper: usable strength for busbars, contacts and machined parts with acceptable bending.250 MPa yield · 80 HB
- H01Moderate temper for bent brackets, terminals and busbar clips needing some stiffness with good bendability.220 MPa yield · 70 HB
- H00Slight temper for flatness and easier handling while keeping most of the formability of annealed stock.180 MPa yield · 60 HB
- M20Hot-rolled plate and bar taken as-produced; softest practical condition for thick sections and machined blanks.70 MPa yield · 45 HB
Working with C10100-H04
Is C10100 easy to machine?
Gummy and stringy — use sharp positive-rake tools, high speed with moderate feed, flood coolant, and prefer H02/H04 temper over annealed; expect ~20% of AISI 1212 rate.
Can C10100 be welded?
Excellent for GTAW/EBW/laser and resistance welding since there is no cuprous oxide to cause hydrogen embrittlement; high preheat needed on thick sections due to heat conduction, and weld metal softens the HAZ.
Can C10100 be formed, bent or molded?
Outstanding cold formability in O temper (deep draw, spin, coin, bend to zero radius); interstage anneal at 400–650 °C, and hard tempers must be annealed before severe forming.
What surface finishes work on C10100?
Solders and brazes readily; electroplate Ni/Ag/Au directly or polish to mirror finish, but bare surfaces tarnish — protect with lacquer, passivation or plating.
C10100 chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| O5 ppm max — defines oxygen-free electronic grade | ≤ 5×10⁻⁴ | 3×10⁻⁴ |
| Ag | ≤ 0 | — |
| As | ≤ 5×10⁻⁴ | — |
| Sb | ≤ 4×10⁻⁴ | — |
| Bi | ≤ 1×10⁻⁴ | — |
| Cd | ≤ 1×10⁻⁴ | — |
| Fe | ≤ 0 | — |
| Pb | ≤ 5×10⁻⁴ | — |
| Mn | ≤ 5×10⁻⁵ | — |
| Ni | ≤ 0 | — |
| P | ≤ 3×10⁻⁴ | — |
| S | ≤ 0 | — |
| Se | ≤ 3×10⁻⁴ | — |
| Te | ≤ 2×10⁻⁴ | — |
| Sn | ≤ 2×10⁻⁴ | — |
| Zn | ≤ 1×10⁻⁴ | — |
| Hg | ≤ 1×10⁻⁴ | — |
| Cuincluding Ag; 99.99% min per ASTM B170 Grade 1 / UNS C10100 | ≥ 99.99 (balance) | — |
C10100-H04 — frequently asked
What is C10100-H04 used for?
C10100-H04 is typically used for vacuum tube and hermetic feedthrough parts, accelerator and microwave RF cavities, high-current busbars and conductors, superconductor stabiliser matrices, semiconductor process chamber components and heat sinks and thermal spreaders. In short: oxygen-free; pure copper.
What is the yield strength of C10100-H04?
C10100-H04 has a typical yield strength of 310 MPa (45 ksi) and a tensile strength of 345 MPa (50 ksi) — stronger than 65% of copper alloy grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 12 listed tempers.
Is C10100-H04 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (32/100, worse than 56% of copper alloy grades). Gummy and stringy — use sharp positive-rake tools, high speed with moderate feed, flood coolant, and prefer H02/H04 temper over annealed; expect ~20% of AISI 1212 rate.
Can C10100-H04 be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated very good (70/100). Excellent for GTAW/EBW/laser and resistance welding since there is no cuprous oxide to cause hydrogen embrittlement; high preheat needed on thick sections due to heat conduction, and weld metal softens the HAZ.
What surface finishes work on C10100-H04?
Solders and brazes readily; electroplate Ni/Ag/Au directly or polish to mirror finish, but bare surfaces tarnish — protect with lacquer, passivation or plating.
Can C10100-H04 be formed, bent or molded?
Outstanding cold formability in O temper (deep draw, spin, coin, bend to zero radius); interstage anneal at 400–650 °C, and hard tempers must be annealed before severe forming.
What is the maximum service temperature of C10100-H04?
C10100-H04 is rated for continuous use to about 140°C (284 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between C10100-O and C10100-H10?
O is the default condition — default stocked condition: maximum ductility and conductivity for deep drawing, spinning, gaskets, RF/vacuum parts and cryogenic conductors. H10: maximum cold-worked strength available in pure copper strip/wire; forming limited to gentle radii. Yield strength is 69 MPa in O versus 365 MPa in H10.
Can FabDigit make parts in C10100-H04?
Yes — C10100-H04 is available for CNC machining and sheet metal with instant online pricing. Upload a STEP file to get a price and a DFM check.
Sources
- ASTM B170 — Oxygen-Free Electrolytic Copper Refinery Shapes — ASTM (2019)
- ASTM B152/B152M — Copper Sheet, Strip, Plate and Rolled Bar — ASTM (2019)
- ASTM B187 — Copper Bus Bar, Rod and Shapes — ASTM (2020)
- ASTM F68 — Oxygen-Free Copper in Wrought Forms for Electron Devices — ASTM (2019)
- CDA Alloy Datasheet C10100 (copper.org) — Copper Development Association (2024)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2 — Properties of Nonferrous Alloys — ASM International (1990)
- EN 13601 / CW009A Cu-OFE — CEN (2021)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.