Tin Plating Copper Nickel Wire Tinned Constantan/ CuNi44 Micro Wire/ Wire/ Ribbon

Copper wires are some of the most commonly used components in electrical work. Whether the job involves power generation, telecommunications or simple circuitry, copper-based components often play a key part in the project. Despite all its versatility and its relatively low cost, regular copper wire is not perfect for every situation. In certain conditions, copper wire must be specially treated to remain effective.

Tinned copper wire is a type of copper wire coated in a thin layer of tin to protect the copper from corrosion that would decrease the wire’s efficiency in humid or rainy climates, high-heat environments and in certain types of soil. Tinned wire is more expensive than its non-tinned counterpart, but it lasts significantly longer and is easier to solder than non-tinned copper wire.

Copper is the second most conductive metal in the world behind silver, but due to its abundance and how easy it is to work with, copper is considered the standard in electrical work. Copper is also the standard by which all other conductive metals are judged. In 1913, the International Electro-Technical Commission set its conductivity at 100 percent of the International Annealed Copper Standard (IACS). The metal resists galvanic corrosion – the gradual deterioration of one metal in electrical contact with another metal – and is durable enough that it avoids stretching, nicks and breaks. However, copper is not invincible.

Tinning Benefits