ASTM B617-98(2021)

This international standard was developed in accordance with internationally recognized principles on standardization established in the Decision on Principles for the
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recommendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
Designation:B617 −98(Reapproved 2021)
Standard Specification for
Coin Silver Electrical Contact Alloy
This standard is issued under the fixed designation B617; the number immediately following the designation indicates the year of
original adoption or, in the case of revision, the year of last revision.Anumber in parentheses indicates the year of last reapproval.A
superscript epsilon (´) indicates an editorial change since the last revision or reapproval.
This standard has been approved for use by agencies of the U.S. Department of Defense.
1. Scope 3. Manufacture
1.1 This specification covers 90% silver-10% copper alloy 3.1 Raw materials shall be of such quality and purity that
tubing, rod, wire, strip, and sheet material for electrical thefinishedproductwillhavethepropertiesandcharacteristics
contacts. prescribed in this specification.
3.2 The material shall be finished by such operations (cold
1.2 Thevaluesstatedininch-poundunitsaretoberegarded
as standard. The values given in parentheses are mathematical working, heat treating, annealing, turning, grinding, or pick-
ling) as are required to produce the prescribed properties.
conversions to SI units that are provided for information only
and are not considered standard.
4. Chemical Composition
1.3 This standard does not purport to address all of the
4.1 Materialproducedunderthisspecificationshallmeetthe
safety concerns, if any, associated with its use. It is the
requirements for chemical composition prescribed in Table 1.
responsibility of the user of this standard to become familiar
with all hazards including those identified in the appropriate
5. Mechanical Requirements
Safety Data Sheet (SDS) for this product/material as provided
5.1 Mechanical properties shall conform to the listings of
by the manufacturer, to establish appropriate safety, health,
Table 2 or Table 3.
and environmental practices, and determine the applicability
5.2 All test specimens shall be full thickness or diameter
of regulatory limitations prior to use.
when practical.
1.4 This international standard was developed in accor-
dance with internationally recognized principles on standard- 5.3 Alltestsaretobeconductedatroomtemperature,about
ization established in the Decision on Principles for the
68°F (20°C).
Development of International Standards, Guides and Recom-
6. General Requirements
mendations issued by the World Trade Organization Technical
6.1 The provisions of Specification B476 shall apply to all
Barriers to Trade (TBT) Committee.
materials produced to this specification.
2. Referenced Documents
7. Inspection and Testing
2.1 ASTM Standards:
7.1 Material furnished under this specification shall be
B277Test Method for Hardness of Electrical Contact Mate-
inspected by the manufacturer as detailed in the applicable
rials
provisions of Specification B476 and as listed as follows:
B476Specification for General Requirements for Wrought
7.1.1 Visual inspection at 10×.
Precious Metal Electrical Contact Materials
7.1.2 Temper test (hardness or tension, but not both). A
tensiontestisrecommendedforstripbelow0.030-in.(0.8-mm)
thickness and for wire of any diameter.
This specification is under the jurisdiction of ASTM Committee B02 on
7.1.3 Dimensional tests.
Nonferrous Metals and Alloys and is the direct responsibility of Subcommittee
7.1.4 Spectrographic or chemical analysis when indicated
B02.05 on Precious Metals and Electrical Contact Materials.
by the purchaser order.
Current edition approved April 1, 2021. Published April 2021. Originally
approved in 1977. Last previous edition approved in 2016 as B617–98(2016).
8. Keywords
DOI: 10.1520/B0617-98R21.
For referenced ASTM standards, visit the ASTM website, www.astm.org, or
8.1 arcing contacts; coin silver alloy; compositions; electri-
contact ASTM Customer Service at service@astm.org. For Annual Book of ASTM
cal contacts; impurities; precious metals; silver alloy; silver
Standards volume information, refer to the standard’s Document Summary page on
the ASTM website. copper alloy
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B617−98(2021)
A
TABLE 1 Chemical Composition
Element Weight %
Silver 89.6 to 91.0
Copper 9.0 to 10.4
Zinc 0.06 max
Iron 0.05 max
Cadmium 0.05 max
Lead 0.03 max
Nickel 0.01 max
Aluminum 0.005 max
Phosphorus 0.02 max
Total others 0.06 max
A
Analysis is regularly made for the elements for which specific limits are listed. If,
however, the presence of “other” elements is suspected or indicated in the course
of routine analysis, further analysis shall be made to determine that the total of
these “other” elements and the listed im
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