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Cu tube - how thin can we go?
2

Cu tube - how thin can we go?

Cu tube - how thin can we go?

(OP)
Question arose the other day from sales engineer folk...

In the production of Cu tubing [pick an alloy], what would be the thinnest (i.e.: smallest) OD that is possible?

Is a 0.1 or even a 0.02" outer diameter tube [wall thickness, ID, etc. is not important] possible?

Of course, they are wanting the material to be somewhat ductile, walls not collapse, etc etc...  want the cake, icing, and eat it all... :)

In a search of ASTM, I can find no standards referencing anything approaching this size - smallest that I am aware of is ~0.25".

Thanks!
 Rob

RE: Cu tube - how thin can we go?

I don’t know of any  standards on microtubing other than those imposed by the supplier.
I don't have my references now but I know they make copper tubing smaller than stainless steel 36 gauge .004"-005" O.D.; .002"-003" I.D.; or .001" wall.  

We used this tubing in the electrochemical lab quite often.  We also had some silver tubing smaller than this.

With the new nanotechnology the molecule is the limit.  

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