As human civilization moves from the electrical age to the age of intelligence, one metal has
always played an indispensable role: copper. However, not all copper is directly suited to the
rigors of high-tech industry. From the ore to the high-purity conductive material, a crucial
purification process - electrolytic refining - must take place in between. The resulting electrolytic
copper is the “refiner” of the modern industrial bloodline, and its purity and quality are
directly related to the lifeblood of countless downstream industries.
What is electrolytic copper? Sublimation from roughness
to the ultimate
Simply put, electrolytic copper is pure copper obtained through electrolytic refining. It does not come
directly from the mines, but takes the crude copper produced by preliminary pyrometallurgical
smelting as raw material. The purity of crude copper is usually about 99%, and although it is already
metallic copper, the gold, silver, nickel, arsenic, bismuth and other impurities contained in it will
seriously deteriorate copper's conductivity, ductility and corrosion resistance, so that it can not be
used in areas with extremely high requirements for material performance.
Electrolytic refining process, like a metal world “beauty contest”. Coarse copper is made into a thick
anode plate, pure copper sheet as the cathode, together with the copper sulfate solution into the
electrolytic analysis. After energization, the anode of the crude copper and its impurity metal atoms
lose electrons, in the form of ions into the solution. Subsequently, the copper ions in the solution
preferentially gain electrons at the cathode and are reduced to extremely pure metallic copper,
which is uniformly deposited on the cathode sheet. The impurities such as precious metals (e.g. gold,
silver) which are less active than copper, due to the difficulty of ionization, will be precipitated as
anode mud, which becomes a treasure trove for the recovery of rare metals; the metal impurities
which are more active than copper remain in the electrolyte. Through this process, the final
precipitation of copper on the cathode, the purity of up to 99.95% or more, and can even reach
99.999% of the very high purity, which is what we call electrolytic copper, also known as copper cathode.
Why is copper cathode indispensable? Excellent performance
is the cornerstone of industry
The value of copper cathode is determined by its extraordinary physical and chemical properties.
Unrivaled electrical conductivity: Purity is the most critical factor in copper's electrical conductivity.
Trace amounts of impurities have a significant scattering effect on the flow of free electrons, thus
reducing the conductivity. The extremely high purity of copper electrolytic ensures that it has excellent
electrical conductivity, second only to silver, which makes it an irreplaceable basic material for power
transmission (cables, transformers), electronic information (integrated circuits, printed circuit boards),
household appliances, and all other areas involving electricity. It can be said that without high-purity
electrolytic copper, the modern electric power system and the electronics industry will be impossible
to talk about.
Outstanding ductility and processability: Electrolytic copper is soft and has excellent toughness and
ductility, which can be easily drawn into very fine wire, rolled into ultra-thin foils, or processed into a
variety of complex shapes. This characteristic allows it to adapt to different scales of processing needs
from macro transmission lines to microscopic chip lead frames, providing unlimited flexibility for the
manufacturing industry.
Good thermal conductivity and corrosion resistance: Electrolytic copper also has excellent thermal
conductivity and is often used in the manufacture of equipment that requires efficient heat dissipation,
such as computer CPU coolers and air conditioner heat exchangers. At the same time, its stable chemical
properties make it has good resistance to atmospheric and moisture corrosion, to ensure the long-term
stable operation of electric facilities and electronic components.
The application territory of copper electrolytic: the “invisible
champion” penetrating thousands of industries.
Copper electrolytic applications cover almost all modern industrial sectors, is a veritable “industrial vitamin”.
Power and electrical industry: This is the largest consumer of electrolytic copper. From generator windings in
power stations, to high-voltage cables for long-distance power transmission, to household wires and distribution
transformers for thousands of households, electrolytic copper is the absolute mainstay in the production,
transmission and distribution of electric energy.
Electronic information technology industry: in smart phones, computers, servers, communication base stations
and other equipment, copper electrolytic copper cladding boards, lead frames, connectors, electromagnetic
shielding layer and other forms of existence, carrying the signal transmission and power supply of the dual-task,
is the information age of the “nerve fiber”.
Transportation: The wire harnesses, motors and sensors in traditional automobiles, as well as a larger number
of drive motors, power battery connectors and charging piles required for new energy vehicles, all rely heavily
on electrolytic copper. The same applies to electrification systems for high-speed rail and ships.
Construction and home appliance industry: The water supply and heating piping systems in buildings (which are
gradually being emphasized because of their antimicrobial properties), as well as the motors, compressors and
internal circuits of air-conditioners, refrigerators, televisions and other home appliances, are all dependent on
electrolytic copper.
High-end equipment manufacturing: In industrial robots, CNC machine tools, wind power generators,
photovoltaic inverters and other high-end equipment, electrolytic copper is one of the core materials to
ensure its precision control and efficient energy conversion.
Looking to the future: green development and technology iteration
of copper electrolysis
With the global energy transition and the promotion of the “dual carbon” goal, the demand for copper electrolytic
is more promising. New energy vehicles, photovoltaic power generation, wind power, energy storage and other
emerging green industries consume much more copper electrolytic than traditional fields. In addition, the rapid
development of technologies such as 5G communication, artificial intelligence and Internet of Things has also
put forward higher requirements for the purity, performance and processing precision of copper electrolytic.
At the same time, the production process of electrolytic copper itself is developing in the direction of being
more environmentally friendly and energy efficient. Advanced extraction technology and automated electrolysis
process are continuously reducing energy consumption and emissions, promoting the sustainable development
of the whole industrial chain.
All in all, although copper electrolysis seems to be basic, it is actually a strategic metal resource that supports the
operation of modern civilization. From the electric current that illuminates the darkness to the data that connects
the world, its figure is everywhere. As the “refiner” of industrial blood, the quality and supply of copper electrolytic
will continue to have a profound impact on the pulse of the global economy and the future direction of science
and technology.