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ALLOY 390 (UNS C17460) AND ALLOY 390E (UNS C17500) FOR CONSUMER ELECTRONICS AND TELECOM CONNECTORS 

Applications within the consumer electronics, telecom and server industries require high strength connectors that can withstand high electrical currents but can also be manufactured for a range of device sizes. 

Copper beryllium alloys are well known for their superior stress relaxation resistance and fatigue strength. Their blend of properties provides engineers the flexibility to design small form factor signal and power interconnects that can be used in harsh environments. Materion’s copper beryllium alloys 390 (UNS C17460) and 390E (UNSC17500) offer the high strength of Alloy 25 (C17200) combined with the electrical conductivity of Alloy 3(C17510) or Alloy 174 (C17410). This combination allows for greater design flexibility when using the alloys for small, form factor signal and power interconnects used in harsh environments.

Our Alloys 390 and 390E materials both provide attributes that are ideal to address challenging applications, including: 

  • High Conductivity: Maintains flow of electrical and thermal energy, reducing device operating temperatures and improving device battery life
  • Excellent Stress Relaxation Performance: Retains contact force at elevated temperatures for high reliability of the connector
  • Excellent Resilience:  Tolerates large displacements without permanently deforming
  • Excellent Fatigue Strength: Enables high cycle life without degradation of contact force

In addition to these characteristics, Alloys 390 and 390E offer their own unique attributes as well. Learn more about each below. 

ALLOY 390 RESISTS STRESS RELAXATION 

Our mill hardened Alloy 390 strip provides a unique combination of high strength and high electrical conductivity, coupled with good resistance to stress relaxation. This combination allows for high reliability, small form factor contacts. Alloy 390 can be a solution for computer burn-in and test sockets (BiTS), production sockets, power connectors, switch, relay, automotive power applications and handheld and portable electronic contact applications.

Physical Properties

Elastic Modulus

Density

Melting Point (Solidus)

Electrical Conductivity

Thermal Conductivity

Coefficient of Thermal Expansion

20,00 ksi
138 GPa

0.318 lb/in3
8.81 g/cm3

1880°F
1030°C

   44% IACS (nominal)
 3.92 m-ohm-m (nominal)

128BTU/hr·fr·°F 
221 W/m·
°C

9.8 x 10-6 in/in·°F
17.6 x 10-6mm/mm·°C

To learn more about Alloy 390, download our product brief. For specification and technical details, download the Alloy 390 data sheet

ALLOY 390E PROVIDES INCREASED FORMABILITY

Alloy 390E offers increased formability compared with Alloy 390, making it an excellent material for production sockets, appliance switches, relays, sensors and controls. Even with the added formability, Alloy 390E retains the strength and high conductivity of Alloy 390 material.

Physical Properties

Elastic Modulus

Density

Melting Point (Solidus)

Electrical Conductivity

Thermal Conductivity

Coefficient of Thermal Expansion

20,00 ksi
138 GPa

0.319 lbs/in3
8.83 g/cm3

1885°F
1029°C

42% IACS min.
3.74 μΩ-cm max.

120 BTU/ft hr °F
208 W/m °C

9.8 x 10-6 in/in °F
17.6 x 10-6 m/m°C


For additional specification and technical details, download the Alloy 390E data sheet.

TALK WITH OUR ENGINEERS 

To learn more about how these alloys can improve connectivity in your application, talk with one of our engineers.