Basic Features of Copper Wire

There are different types of metals found in the nature and they have their specific use because of their properties. When we talk about the electricity and its conduction then the first metal that comes in the mind is copper. It is because of its ductile and malleable properties. I think we all would have witnessed it in our day to day life. Copper wire is the ideal hence it is used extensively in almost all the electronic and electric appliances. It is used in winding electric motors.

Copper wire is available in various thickness and shapes, shape and thickness of the wire decides the properties of wire. For example plain parallel lead wire is used for domestic appliances and single plastic coated wire is usually for lesser voltage like sound speakers, or fuse. The electric flows in the form of electrons that flow on the outer surface of the wire, hence braided or bunch of wires are mostly used for carrying heavier voltage. Copper wire can be recycled without any loss; hence the price of wire does not reduce even after its not working situation. It can be sold at the cost of metal price.

Tin is coated on the copper wire to give more strength because tin is comparatively robust than the copper. Tin coated copper wire is available in the market and it might be the case that it would have been used in the wiring of your house. The coating of tin over copper wire is done through tow ways, electrolytic one and the hot dip one. In the electrolytic process the wire is suspended in chemical and symmetrical coating of tin is done electronically.

In this process the quality of the wire is superb because the thickness of tin coating is maintained electronically while the second process of hot dip the wire is let to dip for a short time and melted tin gets coated on the copper wire itself. This process is comparatively less expensive and the product produces is not of the finest quality. The thickness of the tin coating depends on the saturation of molten tin.

The coating of wire is also done with some insulating material so as to prevent it from oxidation and leakage of electric current. Plastic and glass are the best materials for this purpose. Plastic is comparatively cheaper than glass, but glass prevents the wire completely form oxidation and gives life to the wire. Glass wire is also used where the wire is used in such appliances where the temperature is extremely high like electric motors.

Glass wires are generally preferable where the climate remains humid. So glass wire is comparatively expensive than any other insulated wire and it is not easily available in the open market. Generally glass coated wire is made for the industrial purposes.