Atomic Number: 29
Symbol: Cu
Atomic Weight: 63.546
Electron Configuration: (Ar) 4s13d10
Isotopes: 2
Melting Point: 1083.4° C
Boiling Point: 2567° C
Specific Gravity: 8.96
Valence: 1 or 2
Typical Physical
Characteristics of Our Copper Products
Flake Sizes available:
C45:
10- 44 um
C125:
45-125um
T
ap
Density: 1.8-2.3 cm3/g
Flake Thickness:
1-2 um average
Total Copper % minimum:
99
MSDS (pdf)
Product
Information Sheet (pdf)
APPLICATIONS
Anti-fouling hull paint –
Flaked copper and more
prevalently powdered copper oxide are commonly approved and used in
anti-foulants as a biocide for ship bottom protection.
Today’s
anti-fouling paints typically contain on
the order of 40 percent by weight of copper and are dark brown or
red in color.
The goal in the design of biocidal anti-foulants is to
provide a surface that has active biocides present but which either
do not leave the surface or are non-toxic once released from the
surface. Thus, biocides that have a short active life, either by
biodegradation or by complexation, are required.
There are over 4000 fouling organisms present in the
waters of the world. These are classified into hard organisms,
such as barnacles, and soft organisms ,such as grasses
and algae. An effective marriage of copper's biocidal properties and
the paint binders organic properties has produced reliable hull
coatings.
The problem lies in the fact that these coatings are
designed to ablate, or slough off in order to expose a fresh layer
of biocides to the organisms that want to attach to the boats
bottom. As more and more copper is released into the water column
and sediments, an environmental problem is developing.
One alternative to this growing
environmental problem is to use a paint binder that is non-ablative.
This change would require the increased use of copper in flake form
rather than oxide dust so that the biocidal activity remains high
even after the passage of time. Additionally, research into
complexed forms of copper flake and other substances, such as
algaecides, will yield improved soft fouling control and effective
life.
A
nti-Sieze and Lubricating Pastes - Copper flake is a crucial
ingredient in the products that are used in high temperature
lubrication applications. It is also a common component of
anti-sieze compounds used on threaded parts. Copper's ability to
insulate dissimilar metals from self generated galvanic
corrosion is valuable for high dollar drilling applications.
