Cadwelding

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Cadwelding is joining together two conductors of like or dissimilar materials by exothermic reaction.

The process uses a mixture of several chemicals. A mixture of copper oxides (copper(II) oxide and copper(I) oxide) and aluminium powder provide the main exothermic mixture:

3CuO + 2Al = 3Cu + Al2O3 + Heat.

The formula also contains tin metal or its oxide and calcium fluoride. Some formulations also contain calcium silicide and have the aluminium present as an alloy with copper and vanadium[1][2].

The Cadweld process was invented by Clevelander Charles A. Cadwell in 1938, while he was working for the Electric Railway Improvement Company, now called ERICO. The firm still produces a line of Cadweld products out of its headquarters in Solon, Ohio.

[edit] See also

[edit] References

  1. ^ CADWELD Electrical Welding Material; MSDS No. LT1273; ERICO: Solon, Ohio, March 1, 2007. [1]
  2. ^ CADWELD Aluminum Welding Material; MSDS No. LT1272; ERICO: Solon, Ohio, March 1, 2007. [2]
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