What are the differences between copper-clad aluminum and pure copper wire ?

Mechanical properties

The strength and elongation of pure copper conductors are more prominent than that of copper-clad aluminum conductors, which means that pure copper is better in mechanical properties than copper-clad aluminum.

From the point of view of cable design, the advantage of pure copper conductors being mechanically stronger than copper-clad aluminum conductors is not necessarily required in practical applications.

Copper-clad aluminum conductors are much lighter than pure copper, so copper-clad aluminum cables are weightier than pure copper conductor cables,

facilitating cable transportation and cable racking facilities. In addition, copper-clad aluminum is softer than pure copper, and cables made of copper-clad aluminum conductors

are better in softness than pure copper cables.

Electrical performance

Because the conductivity of aluminum is worse than that of copper, the DC resistance of copper-clad aluminum conductors is more significant than that of pure copper conductors.

Does this affect whether the cable will be used for power supply, such as power supply to the amplifier if it is used for power supply?

Copper-clad aluminum conductors will increase power consumption and a lower voltage drop. When the frequency exceeds 5 MHz, the AC resistance attenuation

at this time is not significantly different between the two other conductors. Of course, this is mainly due to the high-frequency current skin effect. The higher the frequency,

the closer the current flows to the conductor's surface. The surface of the copper-clad aluminum conductor is pure copper.

When the frequency is high, the whole current is plated. Flowed inside the copper material. At 5 MHz, the current flows in a thickness of about 0.025 mm near the surface,

while the copper layer of the copper-clad aluminum conductor is about twice as thick as this thickness. Since the transmitted signal is above 5 MHz for the coaxial cable,

the copper-clad aluminum conductor and the pure copper conductor have the same transmission effect. The attenuation of the actual test cable can prove this.

Copper-clad aluminum is softer than pure copper conductors and easily straightened during production.

Therefore, it can be said that the copper-clad aluminum cable is better than the pure copper conductor cable return loss index.

Economic

Copper-clad aluminum conductors are sold by weight, pure copper conductors are also sold by weight, and copper-clad aluminum conductors are more expensive than the same-weight pure copper conductors.

But the exact weight of copper-clad aluminum is much longer than the pure copper conductor, and the cable is calculated by length.

The exact weight, copper clad aluminum wire, is 2.5 times the length of the copper wire, and the price is only a few hundred dollars per ton. Combined, copper-clad aluminum has an advantage.

Since the copper-clad aluminum cable is relatively light, the transportation cost and installation cost of the cable will be reduced, which will bring particular convenience to the construction.

Easy maintenance

Using copper-clad aluminum can reduce network failures and prevent network personnel from "winter shearing, Xiazi shearing" (aluminum belt vertical or aluminum tube products) during maintenance.

Since the thermal expansion coefficient of the copper inner conductor and the aluminum outer conductor of the cable differs significantly, in the hot summer, the outer conductor of the aluminum is stretched out,

the inner conductor of the copper is relatively retracted, and the elastic contact piece in the F headstock cannot be fully contacted;

In the winter, the aluminum outer conductor shrinks more, and the shield layer falls off. When the coaxial cable is made of the copper-clad aluminum inner conductor,

the difference between the thermal expansion coefficient of the aluminum outer conductor and the outer conductor of the aluminum is small.

When the temperature changes, the cable core failure is significantly reduced, and the transmission quality of the network is improved.

In general, the overall performance of copper-clad aluminum conductors is better than pure copper conductors, which will save users' costs.

The industry believes that using copper-clad aluminum wire in the wire and cable industry is also an excellent way to ease the pressure on the current business.

A double-metal wire drawn from a layer of copper outside the aluminum wire has the advantages of small specific gravity and good transmission performance

. It is particularly suitable for the inner conductor of the RF coaxial cable. Compared with pure copper wire, the density is. Pure copper is about 40%.

The transmission characteristics are better than pure copper wire, which is the ideal inner conductor of the RF coaxial cable branch line.

Stephen Xie

Email: stephen@zion-communication.com