DIFFERENCES BETWEEN COPPER AND ALUMINIUM

COPPER ALUMINIUM
It is reddish in colour Its is silver in colour

Its conductivity is approximately 100% Its conductivity is approximately 75% of

copper
Its is a non magnetic material Its is a non magnetic material

It is costly It is cheaper than copper

It is heavier in weight as compared to It is lighter in weight as compared to copper

Aluminium
It has low contact resistance It has high contract resistance

Soldering and welding is easy Soldering and welding is difficult

Tensile strength or mechanical strength is Tensile strength or mechanical strength is

more less than copper
The cross sectional area required to carry The cross sectional area required to carry
the same current is low the same current is high
It offers high resistance to corrosion It offers high resistance to corrosion

Its electrical resistivity is 1.724×10-8 Ω-m at Its electrical resistivity is 2.8×10-8 Ω-m at 20
20 ℃ ℃

Its melting point is 1084 ℃ Its melting point is 6

55 ℃
Its boiling point is 2595 ℃ Its boiling point is 2470 ℃

Its temperature coefficient of resistance is Its temperature coefficient of resistance is

0.0038/ ℃ at 20 ℃ 0.0035/ ℃ at 20 ℃
It has good ductility and malleability It has good ductility an malleability

Due to flexibility, it can be twisted Due to brittleness, it cannot be twisted

repeatedly repeatedly
Applications of copper:
The following are the applications of copper
 It is used for making wires of cables for transmission and
distribution of electric power.
 It is used as a contact material for control relays, motor
starters, switches and tap changers.
 Hard drawn copper is used for overhead line conductors
and bus bars.
 Annealed copper is used for conductor in flexible wires
which are used in house wiring and windings of electrical
generators, motors and transformers.
 Applications of aluminium:
The following are the applications of aluminium
 It is used overhead transmission lines for transmission and
distribution of electric power.
 It is used for making bus bars.
 It is used for conductors in flexible wires which are used in
house wiring.
 It is used in the form of ACSR conductors in overhead
transmission lines.
 It is used for making rotor bars in squirrel cage induction
motor.
 It is used for winding of electrical machines.