Wire, Cable and Cadmium

From WCTI Magazine, July 2002

Cadmium-containing materials are used in many segments of the wire and cable industry and work is ongoing to find alternatives to this hazardous substance. Such work in the area of copper alloys has already resulted in a family of cadmium-free copper alloy conductors.

Specifically, cadmium copper, C162, can be replaced directly using Percon 17. Products using alloy PD135 can utilize Percon 24 as a drop-in replacement. Both of these copper-based Percon alloys are free of cadmium and they offer fully equivalent mechanical, physical and long-term performance properties. Test results have been evaluated by the Naval Air Systems Command (Navair), which has concluded that Percon 24 may be utilized for qualifying military wire requiring a high-strength copper alloy conductor. For the entire article, click here.