Copper is a preferred electrical conductor.
Superior conductivity allows smaller conductors to be used, saving space and cost. Apart from silver, copper is the next best conductor of electricity. Copper’s electrical conductivity is 101 percent as compared with aluminum, which is 61 percent of copper.
Copper is an excellent thermal conductor.
Copper heats up and cools down quickly and provides the ideal thermal management solution. Copper is the preferred material for heat exchange applications as compared to aluminum, which has a thermal conductivity of 58 percent of copper.
Copper is antimicrobial.
Copper’s capacity for health and healing was discovered by ancient civilizations. As modern science continues to shed light on the relationship between copper and health, copper is playing a greater role in healthcare. Learn more about antimicrobial copper.
Copper is durable.
Copper provides monuments, coins and building materials with the ability to withstand immense pressure and extreme temperature changes.
Copper is corrosion resistant.
Copper is extremely durable and can maintain its integrity for years.
Copper is versatile.
Because copper is malleable, it can be formed and processed into unique shapes and sizes.
Copper is ductile.
Copper can remain intact after being worked on; it retains its core strength and does not weaken after being stressed.
Copper is infinitely recyclable without any loss of performance and is nearly indistinguishable from freshly-mined copper.
Copper has the longest recycling history of any material known to civilization. It is estimated that 80 percent of all mined copper during the past 10,000 years is still in use somewhere today. Estimates also reveal that 33 percent of today’s world annual copper demand is supplied by recycled copper.
Copper is aesthetically pleasing.
For thousands of years, artists have used copper as a medium. Many architects specify copper as part of the architectural design elements.
Copper is vital to the health of humans, animals and plants and an essential part of the human diet.
The World Health Organization (WHO) estimates that worldwide, people are at greater risk of adverse health effects from copper deficiency than from excess copper.*
* IPCS. 1996. Copper: Essentiality and Toxicity. IPCS News—The Newsletter of the International Programme on Chemical Safety December (10):4-5.