Tungsten fiber-reinforced copper composites have tensile strength, yield strength, and modulus of elasticity proportional to fiber content. The composites form high strength electrical conductors

Mc Danels, D. L.

Signorelli, R. A.

English

NASA Technical Reports Server

December 1966	 Brief 66-10572 
"NASA TECH BRIEF 
NASA Tech Briefs are issued to summarize specific innovations derived from the U.S. space program, 
to encourage their commercial application. Copies are available to the public at 15 cents each 
from the Clearinghouse for Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Springfield, Virginia 22151. 
Tungsten Fiber-Reinforced Copper Composites Form High

Strength Electrical Conductors 
Investigations to determine the tensile properties of 
composites utilize a model system, tungsten fibers in 
a copper matrix, in which both components are mutu-
ally insoluble. The results of these investigations 
show that the ultimate tensile strength, yield strength, 
and modulus of elasticity of the composites are 
proportional to fiber content. 
While many applications exist for the use of com-
posite materials as structural members, of particular 
interest is their adaptability to high strength electrical 
conductors. For such an application, the electrical 
resistivity and conductivity of the composite materials 
must be known. Since the tungsten fibers and copper 
are insoluble in each other, the electrical properties 
would be expected to follow the example of binary 
alloys such as Pb-Sn and Zn-Cd. These alloys are 
mixtures of two phases, and the conductivities, not 
the resistivities, follow a linear relation with compo-
sition expressed in -volume percent. Since copper 
and tungsten act as a mixture in a composite, the con-
ductivity of tungsten fiber-reinforced copper com-
posites should also be a linear function of fiber volume 
percent. 
This investigation determines the electrical resis-
tivity and conductivity of tungsten fiber-reinforced 
copper composites over a wide range of fiber contents
for composites containing both continuous and dis-
continuous fibers and relates the results to fiber 
content. 
Note: 
Further information concerning this invention is 
presented in NASA TN D-3590, "Electrical Resis-
tivity and Conductivity of Tungsten-Fiber-Rein-
forced Copper Composites," by David L. McDanels, 
August 1966, available from the Clearinghouse for 
Federal Scientific and Technical Information, Spring-
field, Virginia, 22151; price $1.00. Inquiries may also 
be directed to: 
Technology Utilization Officer 
Lewis Research Center 
21000 Brookpark Road 
Cleveland, Ohio 44135 
Reference: B66-10572 
Patent status: 
Inquiries about obtaining rights for the commercial 
use of this invention may be made to NASA, Code 
GP, Washington, D.C. 20546. 
Source: David L. McDanels

and Robert A. Signorelli
(Lewis-338) 
Category 03 
This document was prepared under the sponsorship of the National 
Aeronautics and Space Administration. Neither the United States 
Government nor any person acting on behalf of the United States
Government assumes any liability resulting from the use of the 
information contained in this document, or warrants that such use 
will be free from privately owned rights.
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Tungsten fiber-reinforced copper composites form high strength electrical conductors

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