UNS C99500 Nickel-Iron Copper
C99500 copper is a copper-nickel alloy formulated for casting. Cited properties are appropriate for the as-fabricated (no temper or treatment) condition.
It has a fairly low base cost among cast copper-nickels. In addition, it has the lowest embodied energy and a moderately high electrical conductivity.
The graph bars on the material properties cards below compare C99500 copper to: cast copper-nickels (top), all copper alloys (middle), and the entire database (bottom). A full bar means this is the highest value in the relevant set. A half-full bar means it's 50% of the highest, and so on.
Mechanical Properties
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus
120 GPa 17 x 106 psi
Elongation at Break
13 %
Poisson's Ratio
0.34
Shear Modulus
45 GPa 6.6 x 106 psi
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS)
540 MPa 78 x 103 psi
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof)
310 MPa 46 x 103 psi
Thermal Properties
Latent Heat of Fusion
240 J/g
Maximum Temperature: Mechanical
210 °C 420 °F
Melting Completion (Liquidus)
1090 °C 2000 °F
Melting Onset (Solidus)
1040 °C 1900 °F
Specific Heat Capacity
400 J/kg-K 0.1 BTU/lb-°F
Thermal Expansion
17 µm/m-K
Electrical Properties
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume
10 % IACS
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific)
10 % IACS
Otherwise Unclassified Properties
Base Metal Price
30 % relative
Density
8.7 g/cm3 540 lb/ft3
Embodied Carbon
3.0 kg CO2/kg material
Embodied Energy
47 MJ/kg 20 x 103 BTU/lb
Embodied Water
300 L/kg 36 gal/lb
Common Calculations
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work)
63 MJ/m3
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience)
410 kJ/m3
Stiffness to Weight: Axial
7.7 points
Stiffness to Weight: Bending
19 points
Strength to Weight: Axial
17 points
Strength to Weight: Bending
17 points
Thermal Shock Resistance
19 points
Alloy Composition
Among cast copper alloys, the composition of C99500 copper is notable for containing comparatively high amounts of iron (Fe) and silicon (Si). Iron is used to increase strength inexpensively. Silicon is used to improve casting fluidity and lower melting temperature. It also raises strength at the expense of ductility.
| Cu | 82.5 to 92 | |
| Ni | 3.5 to 5.5 | |
| Fe | 3.0 to 5.0 | |
| Si | 0.5 to 2.0 | |
| Al | 0.5 to 2.0 | |
| Zn | 0.5 to 2.0 | |
| Mn | 0 to 0.5 | |
| Pb | 0 to 0.25 | |
| res. | 0 to 0.3 |
All values are % weight. Ranges represent what is permitted under applicable standards.
Followup Questions
Similar Alloys
Further Reading
ASTM B505: Standard Specification for Copper Alloy Continuous Castings
Properties and Selection: Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials, ASM Handbook vol. 2, ASM International, 1993
CRC Materials Science and Engineering Handbook, 4th ed., James F. Shackelford et al. (editors), 2015