what is conducting material and it's classification
what is conducting material and it's classification
The material which conduct electricity from one point to another point thorugh it, or the substance which have high electrical conductivity is known as conducting material. It's also resistance to oxidation or corrosion and climate effect.
The conducting material has good welding and solderability and also adequate mechnical strength and absence of brittleness. It has a good or positive temperature cofficient. So, it's resistive property increases when the temperature increases.
We can easily make wire and sheet of the conducting material. Also, most of electric machine employ winding of conducting material like copper and Aluminum.
The main work of conducting material is that the continuously flow of electric charge through it.
Classification of conducting material:-
Basically, there are two types of conducting material are:-
(a). Low resistivity material:-
A material in which the movement of electron through it easily and somthly is know as low resistivity material. It's also known as low resistivity or high conductivity material. And, also it's has high melting and mechanical strength. There are:-
(I). Copper:-
A copper is obtained from copper pyrite. A mineral named calcined obtained from furance is mixed with coke and silica and then melted in blast furance, and then wet get blister copper. After oxidation it is purified after melting in reverbertory furnace in the presence of air then we get 97% pure copper. But by electrolysis process 100% pure copper is obtained.
The symbol of copper is 'Cu', and it's atomic number is '29' and it's atomic mass is '63.54u'. A Copper has highest electrical conductivity with resistant to oxidation and corrosion. Its also high malleable and ductile property.
(II). Aluminum:-
Since, copper is depleted, so Aluminum is next best conducting material. As aluminum present in huge quantity in India so, it is also use in electrical engineering project in place of copper. For purpose of using Aluminum in place is copper is due to its resistivity is 1.6 time greater as compared to copper.
As we see that the Aluminum metal is hard but its not hard before adding/mixing of magnesium, silicon or iron in suitable ratio as per there application. As aluminum metal is very soft so it's wire joint become loose but in present time aluminum conductor joint soldred with the help of special flux.
Due to less tensile strength the aluminum alloy wire are warped around the steel wire which increases the tensile strength of over head aluminum conductor, this twisted Aluminum steel supported wire is known as ACSR conductor.
(III). Steel:-
A steel is the alloy of iron which contain less then 2% of carbon, 1% of maganese and also contain silicon, oxygen, phosphorus. The conductivity of steel is less then as compared to Copper and Aluminum.
Iron is a soft material, when carbon is mixed with iron in small percentage it become hard and it's tensile strength increases but at same time its become ductility decreases. If the carbon percentage then it's become brittle.
A steel is a magnetic material, it's permeability increases by mixing a small amount of silicon in it. The silicon steel alloys used as magnetic core in electrical machine (like motor and transformer).
(IV). Mercury:-
A Mercury is the only metal which is in liquid form in room temperature. The symbol of Mercury is 'Hg' and it's atomic number is '80'. And, also the atomic mass is '200.59u'. It is lies in d-block element.
Mercury is the only metal which remain in liquid form at -38.87°C temperature it is a heavy metal it is White and bright like silver. It is used of fluorescent tube lights, Mercury vapour lamps, limit switch and Mercury cells, etc.
(V). Platinum:-
A platinum is the types of conducting material which is used in application of circuit breake, starters, and switch, etc. The chemical symbol of platinum is 'Pt' and its atomic number is 78. It is belongs to d-block elements. The melting and boiling point is 1773.5°C and 4530°C respectively.
(b). High resistivity material:-
A material is said to high resistivity material if it's offer high resistance. It is mostly used heating device application. They are as follows:-
(I). Manganin:-
Manganin is a copper alloys in which copper is 86% and maganin 2%. It's permissible working temperature is 60°C to 70°C and it's melting point is 120°C. It is used to making of precision wire wound resistance boxes and shunt resistance coils for ampere meter.
(II). Constanton:-
It is a alloy of copper and nickel in which Copper, ratio of 50% and nickel is 60%. It's maximum permissible working temperature is 500°C. It is used in making of rheostat for laboratories and shunt resistance for ampere meter.
(III). Nichrome:-
The word 'Nichrome' is commenly name of "nickel chromium" alloys of ratio nickel is 75-78%, chromium 20-30%, maganese 1.5% and small quentity of iron is also mixed in this alloys. Basically it's called strong alloy.
The Working temperature of nichrome is 1100°C and it's melting point is 1445°C. Due to its high resistivity it is used in heating device such as kitchen heater, electronic iron, geaser, electric oven, etc in the shape of heating element.
(IV). Tungsten:-
Tungsten is come under the category of hard metal. So, it's tensile strength is very high and it's resistivity is approximately double as compared to resistivity of aluminum. It's melting point is approximately 3410°C. It's can be convert into thin wire. It is used for making of filament for electric lamp, fluorescent tube lights and electronic values etc.