ASTM B152

USED FOR:

Governs copper plate, sheet, strip, and rolled bar products for general applications.

It covers commercially available wrought copper products including electrical, industrial, architectural, and fabrication uses.

This is a flat-rolled copper product standard. It covers wrought copper in plate, sheet, strip, and rolled bar form, not copper pipe/tube (such as ASTM B88), fittings, or castings.

ASTM B152 applies primarily to commercially pure copper grades supplied in different tempers to achieve the required balance between conductivity, strength, and formability. It is not a pressure piping component specification and is generally not used as a pressure-boundary material standard under ASME B31 piping codes.

RELATED STANDARDS:

Sibling specs: ASTM B36 covers brass plate, sheet, and strip (copper-zinc alloys), while other ASTM B specifications cover specific copper alloy families. These standards address different alloy compositions and product requirements; ASTM B152 is dedicated to wrought copper flat products.

Design code that invokes it: ASTM B152 is generally not used directly as a pressure-retaining material specification under ASME B31-series piping codes. Copper piping applications normally use dedicated tube and fitting specifications such as ASTM B88 for seamless copper tube or other applicable ASTM B standards depending on the service.

Dimensional standard that pairs with it: There is no schedule-based dimensional standard paired with ASTM B152, since plate, sheet, strip, and rolled bar thickness, width, and temper are specified directly by the purchaser according to the fabrication requirements.

GRADE / TYPE RANGE:

ASTM B152 covers several commercially pure copper grades, including electrolytic tough pitch copper (C11000), oxygen-free coppers such as C10100 and C10200, and deoxidized high-phosphorus coppers such as C12000 and C12200, depending on the applicable product requirements.

The key differentiator between copper types is not a strength progression similar to steel grades, but rather oxygen content, residual elements, conductivity, and fabrication behavior.

Oxygen-free copper grades provide very low oxygen content and are preferred for applications requiring high electrical conductivity, high purity, or improved resistance to hydrogen embrittlement at elevated temperatures.

Electrolytic tough pitch copper (C11000) provides a good balance of electrical conductivity, thermal conductivity, availability, and cost, making it the most commonly used commercial copper grade.

Deoxidized copper grades such as C12200 contain phosphorus additions that improve weldability and reduce the risk of hydrogen-related problems compared with oxygen-bearing copper grades.

Mechanical properties vary mainly with temper condition rather than copper type. Annealed tempers provide high ductility and formability, while cold-worked tempers increase strength and hardness at the expense of elongation.

DESCRIPTION:

ASTM B152 covers wrought copper plate, sheet, strip, and rolled bar products produced by rolling processes from cast copper stock and supplied in the required temper condition.

The standard specifies chemical composition requirements for each copper type, mechanical property requirements according to temper designation, and dimensional tolerance requirements for thickness, width, and flatness.

It addresses surface quality requirements and, where applicable, electrical conductivity requirements for specific copper types or conditions where conductivity is specified as a required property.

Testing requirements include chemical composition verification, mechanical property testing as applicable to the supplied temper, and additional tests such as conductivity measurement when required by the product specification or purchase order.

Marking and certification requirements identify copper type, temper, heat or lot traceability, and manufacturer information to maintain material identification throughout fabrication.

TYPICAL INDUSTRY USE:

Specified in electrical and busbar fabrication, architectural roofing and flashing, general industrial fabrication, heat-transfer applications, and gasket or seal blank production.

ASTM B152 is rarely encountered as a pressure-boundary piping material under ASME B31.3, where dedicated copper tube and fitting standards are normally applied instead.

IMPORTANT NOTES:

• ASTM B152 does not use the same supplementary requirement structure commonly found in ASTM steel product specifications. Additional requirements are normally defined by the purchaser or by the applicable application standard.

• NACE MR0175 / ISO 15156 is primarily focused on metallic materials used in oil and gas sour-service environments and is not typically applied as the main qualification framework for copper products. Copper alloy suitability must be evaluated according to the specific service environment, including corrosion behavior and compatibility with the process fluid.

• Oxygen content and copper grade selection are important considerations for applications involving welding, brazing, high-temperature exposure, or hydrogen-containing environments. Selecting an unsuitable copper type can result in reduced performance even when the basic chemical composition appears acceptable.

• Because copper products are relatively soft and susceptible to surface damage, contamination, and galvanic staining during storage and handling, appropriate protection should be maintained during transportation and fabrication. Surface damage or contamination may affect final inspection results and service performanc