May. '07 Copper-based Solar Cells: Good for the Environment, Good for the Consumer Copper has long been used in solar heating/hot water systems, where it is commonly used in heat exchangers. Now, it promises to become equally valuable in photovoltaic (PV) systems. These systems produce electricity through the action of sunshine on certain semiconductors, including so-called thin-film materials and the currently most promising material: copper indium gallium diselenide or CIGS.
Jul. '06 Copper Makes Beer Better: Control of Hydrogen Sulfide in Beer with a Copper Electrolysis System Hydrogen Sulfide (H
2S), a volatile sulfur compound, is a normal byproduct of the fermenting process. But, research has shown that people are very sensitive to the odor of H
2S and can detect this odor as an off-flavor at very low concentrations. Researchers have found that the most effective means to control H
2S is by using copper which removes the H
2S as copper sulfide (CuS) which can then be removed from the final product.
Jan. '06 Copper and Nanotechnology According to experts in the field, nanotechnology will have an impact on the global economy of more than $1 trillion within a decade...While the role copper will finally play in nanotechnology is yet to be determined, the metal is already filling a number of notable applications. In addition, there are a number of recent technical developments that indicate promise for expansion of copper's role in nanotechnology.
Feb. '04 Copper - Something New Under the Sun? Copper, its many compounds and alloys are continually being researched, and new developments surface daily. But where do you find out what's new? Scientific journals, sure, but some of the richest sources are the many patents published worldwide. Fortunately, almost all patents are now available online. Here's how to access them.
Sep. '01 Die-Cast Copper Motor Rotors Heading for Success A look a the on-going research designed to take advantage of copper's high conductivity in such a way as to enable the creation of ultrahigh-efficiency electric motors being conducted by an industry-government consortium of which the Copper Development Association (CDA) is a member.
Jun. '01 Copper at the Cutting Edge: The Copper Vapor Laser Although the copper vapor laser (CVL) has been known for more than 15 years, it is a relative new-comer to the family of engineering lasers. Already the natural choice for precision micromachining, it has just gotten better.
Mar. '00 CuproBraze® Copper/Brass Radiators in Production Chronological survey of the materials used in production of automotive and truck radiators. Complete breakdown of CuproBraze process and advantages.
Nov. '99 Copper - Super Slim Gas Seals Discussion of stresses on the valve seat and the valve seat insert vis à vis thermal expansion and contraction during use, and the superiority of constructing them from alloys made of copper, nickel and other elements combined to form high temperature intermetallic compounds.
Nov. '99 High Tech House Runs on Copper How new solar cells based on a complex alloy of copper, indium, selenium, gallium and sulfur allow high-tech house to run even during local power failure.
Sep. '99 Copper Racing to Success New formulation using a few parts per million of copper in sunflower oil proving to be as good as the best formulated mineral engine oils. Review of chemical makeup of different types of oils, pros and cons of new compound.
Sep. '99 Copper Patents A report on 10 of the copper-related Patent Briefs submitted for 1998.
Jul. '99 Shape Memory and Superelastic Alloys A look at shape memory alloys; materials that can be deformed at one temperature but when heated or cooled, return to their original shape, i.e. the alloy appears to have a memory.
Jul. '99 Copper's Role in Radioactive Waste Disposal III - The US Experience Trace copper's role in the U.S. Department of Energy's (DOE) waste management program, looking at why copper and copper alloys made it to a "short list" of several viable materials and why metals other than copper were ultimately selected.
Jun. '99 An Outlook on Residential HVAC&R Applications in 2020 Summary of predicted results of upcoming changes in homes, speculation on impacts on residential HVAC&R equipment and applications and introduction of new research initiative (HVAC&R Research for the 21st Century, 21-CR) aimed at helping industry keep up.
Jun. '99 Copper Increases Efficiency of Solar Cells Siemens Solar Group is testing the capabilities of a new thin-film photovoltaic module created by applying a fine film of copper indium diselenide (CIS) to a glass backing to product a less expensive semi-conductor.
Mar. '99 Property Data on The Copper Page A new Web site will make available an expanded version of the data in the Copper Development Association's (CDA) Standards Handbook series.
Dec. '98 Research on Copper Joining Techniques Evaluates New Designs and Brazing Methods Results of the second part of a two-part research effort, where the second part sought to ascertain whether experimental braze joint designs and alternate braze heating methodologies can economically provide improved brazing quality and higher product performance.
Nov. '98 Copper Motor Rotor Research Update A look at a cooperative program designed to identify high temperature, thermal shock resistant materials, and then to design, fabricate and demonstrate molds designed to withstand the copper motor rotor die casting environment for an economically acceptable life, i.e., thousands of casting cycles.
Nov. '98 Copper: Technology & Standards Brief history of copper mining techniques from earliest industrial mining days through flash smelting, electrorefining, solvent extraction and electrowinning. Also covers changes in fabrication and production techniques.
Nov. '98 New Copper Alloys - Summer 1998 Notes from the Copper Development Association's (CDA) Standards Advisory Committee Meeting held on August 25, 1998.
Sep. '98 Dollar Coin - Design and Materials The second US Mint's stakeholders' meeting was held on Wednesday, August 12, 1998 in Washington D.C. to brief the Coin Coalition (a group which promotes the introduction of a new dollar coin) and other interested parties on the technical aspects of the new dollar coin including the alloy design.
Sep. '98 Copper Water Tube: Good for Consumers, Good for the Environment The second US Mint's stakeholders' meeting was held on Wednesday, August 12, 1998 in Washington D.C. to brief the Coin Coalition (a group which promotes the introduction of a new dollar coin) and other interested parties on the technical aspects of the new dollar coin including the alloy design.
May. '98 Copper DX Geothermal Heat Pump Web Site The Copper Development Association (CDA) is sponsoring the creation of a web site designed to allow homeowners to compare the economics of heating and cooling their homes with copper direct exchange (DX) heat pump systems.
May. '98 The Evolution of Telephone Cable In 1877 Thomas Doolittle developed the process for hard drawn copper wire in the Naugatuck Valley of Connecticut. He had soft, annealed copper wire drawn through a series of dies in order to increase its tensile strength. The hard drawn copper wire was strong enough for overhead wires and copper took over the telephone wire market.
Mar. '98 New Copper Alloys The Copper Development Association (CDA) Standards Advisory Group is responsible for administering and maintaining the internationally recognized "Unified Numbering System" in North America for all copper and copper alloys. Look at the process for adding a copper alloy.
Mar. '98 ARI and CDA Sponsor Research on Copper Joining Techniques with Future Refrigerants Summary of results of research project sponsored by the Air-Conditioning and Refrigeration Institute and Copper Development Association on whether current brazing techniques and methodologies for joining copper tubes are adequate for the alternative refrigerants proposed for future usage.
Dec. '97 Direct Exchange Thermal Systems: The Wave Of The Future Heat pumps! While the term seems relatively new, Nicholas Carnot proposed the concept in 1824. While heat normally flows from hot to cold, Carnot reasoned that a mechanical device could be built to reverse the process and "pump" heat from a cooler region to a warmer region.
Nov. '97 Big Blue Goes Copper IBM's adoption of the CMOS (Complimentary Metal Oxide Semiconductor) manufacturing process in order to take advantage of copper's superior electrical and thermal conductivity.
