ASTM_B_596_-_89_2017.pdf

Designation:B59689(Reapproved 2017)Standard Specification forGold-Copper Alloy Electrical Contact Material1This standard is issued under the fixed designation B596;the number immediately following the designation indicates the year oforiginal adoption or,in the case of revision,the year of last revision.A number in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.Asuperscript epsilon()indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S.Department of Defense.1.Scope1.1 This specification covers a wrought alloy containinggold and copper in the form of wire,rod,strip,and tubing forelectrical contacts.1.2 The values stated in inch-pound units are to be regardedas standard.The values given in parentheses are mathematicalconversions to SI units that are provided for information onlyand are not considered standard.1.3 The following precautionary statement pertains to thetest method portion only,Section 7,of this standard:Thisstandard does not purport to address all of the safety concerns,if any,associated with its use.It is the responsibility of the userof this standard to become familiar with all hazards includingthose identified in the appropriate Safety Data Sheet(SDS)forthis product/material as provided by the manufacturer,toestablish appropriate safety and health practices,and deter-mine the applicability of regulatory limitations prior to use.1.4 This international standard was developed in accor-dance with internationally recognized principles on standard-ization established in the Decision on Principles for theDevelopment of International Standards,Guides and Recom-mendations issued by the World Trade Organization TechnicalBarriers to Trade(TBT)Committee.2.Referenced Documents2.1 ASTM Standards:2B476 Specification for General Requirements for WroughtPrecious Metal Electrical Contact MaterialsE8 Test Methods for Tension Testing of Metallic MaterialsE384 Test Method for Microindentation Hardness of Mate-rials3.Materials and Manufacture3.1 Raw materials shall be of such quality and purity thatthe finished product will have the properties and characteristicsprescribed in this specification.3.2 The material shall be finished by such operations(coldworking,heat treating,annealing,turning,grinding,pickling)as are required to produce the prescribed properties.4.Chemical Composition4.1 Materials produced under the specification shall meetthe requirements of chemical composition shown in Table 1.5.Mechanical Properties5.1 The contract or order may specify ultimate tensilestrength,elongation,microhardness(Knoop or Vickers),hard-ness(Rockwell or Rockwell Superficial),or a combination ofthese mechanical properties as temper criterion.If the contractor order does not specify a temper criterion,then the criterionfor temper designation will be ultimate tensile strength.5.2 The material shall conform to the mechanical propertiesshown in Table 2,Table 3,Table 4,or Table 5.5.3 The material shall be free of stress corrosion(as tested)in accordance with 7.3.6.General Requirements6.1 Specification B476 shall apply to all materials producedto this specification.7.Test Methods7.1 Test methods shall be in accordance with SpecificationB476.7.1.1 Knoop hardness tests shall be in accordance with TestMethod E384.Material 0.005 in.(0.13 mm)in thickness(ordiameter)and larger shall be tested using a 100-g indenter load.A minimum of five hardness indentations shall be made oneach specimen.The hardness value reported shall be theaverage of the five indentations.Material less than 0.005 in.inthickness(or diameter)shall be tested with a 50-g indenterload.7.1.2 All tension tests shall be in accordance with TestMethods E8 and test specimens shall be full cross section,when practical.1This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee B02 onNonferrous Metals and Alloys and is the direct responsibility of SubcommitteeB02.05 on Precious Metals and Electrical Contact Materials.Current edition approved April 1,2017.Published April 2017.Originallyapproved in 1974.Last previous edition approved in 2012 as B596 89(2012).DOI:10.1520/B0596-89R17.2For referenced ASTM standards,visit the ASTM website,www.astm.org,orcontact ASTM Customer Service at serviceastm.org.For Annual Book of ASTMStandards volume information,refer to the standards Document Summary page onthe ASTM website.Copyright ASTM International,100 Barr Harbor Drive,PO Box C700,West Conshohocken,PA 19428-2959.United StatesThis international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for theDevelopment of International Standards,Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade(TBT)Committee.1 7.1.3 All tests shall be conducted at room temperature,65 to85F(18 to 29C).7.2 Chemical analysis shall be performed by spectrochemi-cal or wet analysis methods.Fire assay is a