Copper Alloy C14181
UNS C14181
C14181 is a low-oxygen, vacuum-melted copper braze filler for high-purity vacuum furnace brazing where oxide inclusions cannot be tolerated, supplied as annealed or hard-drawn wire, preforms, powder and paste.
Reference datasheet — C14181 is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the AS-BRAZED condition
C14181 tempers and conditions
C14181 is supplied in one standard condition, AS-BRAZED. AS-BRAZED is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Supply forms, finishes and certifications
Ways C14181 is supplied — form, process route, surface or paperwork — without a datasheet of their own. The property values above apply.
| Option | What it is | Type |
|---|---|---|
PREFORM | Stamped/formed rings, washers, shims | Supply form |
WIRE-H | Wire, hard drawn (spring temper) filler stock | Supply form |
WIRE-O | Wire / Rod, annealed (soft) filler stock | Supply form |
PASTE | Copper powder in organic binder/vehicle | Printing process |
POWDER | Reduced/atomized copper braze powder | Printing process |
What is C14181?
C14181 is a low-oxygen, vacuum-melted copper braze filler for high-purity vacuum furnace brazing where oxide inclusions cannot be tolerated, supplied as annealed or hard-drawn wire, preforms, powder and paste. The clean melt gives very ductile joints at 220 MPa tensile, 60 MPa yield, 45 % elongation and HB 45, with 95 % IACS and 385 W/m·K, which suits electron-tube and waveguide work. Brazing runs at 1093-1149 °C in 10-3 to 10-5 torr vacuum or dry hydrogen with 0.00-0.05 mm clearance, and service is limited to about 400 °C. C14180 is the lower-cost option for ordinary atmosphere furnace brazing. C14181 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). C14181 has a yield strength of 60 MPa (8.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 220 MPa (31.9 ksi) — weaker than 100% of copper alloy grades. Elongation at break is 45% and the elastic modulus is 117 GPa (17 Msi).
What is C14181 used for?
- electron tube and vacuum electronics
- aerospace heat exchangers
- waveguide assemblies
- high-vacuum instrumentation
Advantages
- High service temperature — 400°C (752 °F), better than 97% of copper alloy grades
- Conducts heat well — 385 W/m·K (222.4 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 92% of copper alloy grades
- Ductile — tolerates forming and impact — 45%, better than 91% of copper alloy grades
- High electrical conductivity — 95 % IACS, better than 91% of copper alloy grades
- Forms and bends easily — 90/100, better than 89% of copper alloy grades
Limitations
- Low strength — 60 MPa (8.7 ksi), worse than 100% of copper alloy grades
- Difficult to machine — 22/100, worse than 94% of copper alloy grades
C14181 properties
Typical room-temperature values for C14181-AS-BRAZED; bars are the position among copper alloy grades.
Physical3
C14181 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
C14181 has a yield strength of 60 MPa (8.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 220 MPa (31.9 ksi) — weaker than 100% of copper alloy grades. Elongation at break is 45% and the elastic modulus is 117 GPa (17 Msi).
Thermal6
C14181 is rated for continuous service to 400°C (752 °F). It conducts heat at 385 W/m·K (222.4 BTU/hr·ft·°F), better than 92% of copper alloy grades. Thermal expansion is 17.6 µm/m·K (9.78 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
C14181 conducts electricity at 95 % IACS, better than 91% of copper alloy grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is good (55/100), worse than 86% of copper alloy grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of C14181 takes about 58 MJ of energy and emits 4 kg of CO₂ — more than 61% of copper alloy grades. Typical recycled content is 10%.
Manufacturability8
C14181's machinability is poor (22/100, worse than 94% of copper alloy grades); weldability good (60/100); formability excellent (90/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the copper alloy family
Yield strength against density for every copper alloy grade FabDigit runs. C14181 is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with C14181
Is C14181 easy to machine?
Rarely machined; if preforms are turned, use sharp positive-rake tools, high speed and flood coolant to avoid gummy built-up edge.
Can C14181 be welded?
Not a structural weld filler — it is a furnace braze filler; joints are made at 1093–1149 °C in vacuum (10⁻³–10⁻⁵ torr) or dry hydrogen, with 0.00–0.05 mm joint clearance.
Can C14181 be formed, bent or molded?
Extremely ductile in the annealed state; wire coils easily into rings and shims, hard-drawn wire should be stress-relieved before tight bends.
C14181 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 |
|---|---|---|
| Presidual deoxidizer limit | ≤ 0.08 | 0.01 |
| Pbhigh vapour-pressure element, kept low for vacuum brazing | ≤ 0.02 | |
| Znrestricted to avoid furnace contamination | ≤ 0.02 | |
| Cdrestricted / RoHS | ≤ 0 | |
| Olow-oxygen vacuum-melted stock; OFE-class lots <0.001 | ≤ 0.05 | 0.01 |
| Others (total)total of unspecified residuals | ≤ 0.3 | |
| CuCu + Ag counted together per AWS A5.8 for BCu-1a; vacuum-grade lots typically 99.9+ | ≥ 99 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on C14181?
Copper joint fillet tarnishes; passivate, lacquer or nickel/tin plate for appearance and for service in sulfur- or ammonia-bearing atmospheres.
Surface treatments FabDigit runs on copper alloy parts — pick them in the quote configurator or call them out on the drawing. Each links to its datasheet in the surface-finish library (thickness, specs, call-out, material verdicts).
How much does C14181 cost?
C14181 is a high-cost copper alloy ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
C14181 — frequently asked
What is C14181 used for?
C14181 is typically used for electron tube and vacuum electronics, aerospace heat exchangers, waveguide assemblies and high-vacuum instrumentation. In short: vacuum-grade copper filler; most ductile braze joint; no oxide inclusions.
What is the yield strength of C14181?
C14181 has a typical yield strength of 60 MPa (8.7 ksi) and a tensile strength of 220 MPa (31.9 ksi) — weaker than 100% of copper alloy grades.
Is C14181 easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (22/100, worse than 94% of copper alloy grades). Rarely machined; if preforms are turned, use sharp positive-rake tools, high speed and flood coolant to avoid gummy built-up edge.
Can C14181 be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated good (60/100). Not a structural weld filler — it is a furnace braze filler; joints are made at 1093–1149 °C in vacuum (10⁻³–10⁻⁵ torr) or dry hydrogen, with 0.00–0.05 mm joint clearance.
What surface finishes work on C14181?
Copper joint fillet tarnishes; passivate, lacquer or nickel/tin plate for appearance and for service in sulfur- or ammonia-bearing atmospheres.
Can C14181 be formed, bent or molded?
Extremely ductile in the annealed state; wire coils easily into rings and shims, hard-drawn wire should be stress-relieved before tight bends.
What is the maximum service temperature of C14181?
C14181 is rated for continuous use to about 400°C (752 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
How much does C14181 cost?
C14181 is a high-cost copper alloy ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- AWS A5.8/A5.8M — Specification for Filler Metals for Brazing and Braze Welding (BCu-1, BCu-1a, BCu-2) — AWS (2019)
- UNS C141xx copper designations (Metals & Alloys in the Unified Numbering System) — SAE/ASTM (2017)
- ASM Handbook Vol.2 — Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys (Coppers) — ASM International (1990)
- Brazing Handbook, 5th ed. — Copper and copper-alloy filler metals — AWS (2007)
- CDA/copper.org unalloyed copper property data — Copper Development Association (2023)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.