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OFHC Copper Tube
Available Configurations
Properties common to all products in this list
| Wall Thickness | Inside Diameter | Outside Diameter | Length | Temper ⓘ | Other Variant |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
| 0.08 mm to 1 mm | 0.22 mm to 10.9 mm | 0.38 mm to 12.7 mm | 10 mm to 2000 mm | Hard | Standard 3N Copper |
Need custom configurations? Please contact us.
Key Features
OFHC Copper Tube is a 99.95% pure hollow copper section produced with an oxygen content below 0.001%, combining the maximum electrical and thermal conductivity of copper with vacuum compatibility, brazing reliability, and freedom from hydrogen embrittlement in a tube geometry that carries fluid, gas, or vacuum through a thermally and electrically active wall:
Hollow Geometry Enables Active-Wall Thermal & Electrical Performance
The hollow geometry sets OFHC Copper Tube apart from rod and bar: it carries fluid, gas, or vacuum through a thermally and electrically active wall, making it the enabling component in cryogenic cooling loops, vacuum feedthroughs, RF waveguide assemblies, and heat exchanger designs where the tube wall itself must perform rather than merely contain.
Maximum Conductivity (101% IACS, 401 W/m·K) in a Tube Format
With conductivity at 101% IACS and thermal conductivity of 401 W/m·K, OFHC Copper Tube delivers the maximum electrical and thermal performance of copper in a hollow section — properties preserved because the oxygen-free process eliminates the cuprous oxide inclusions that would otherwise reduce conductivity and contaminate inner bore surfaces.
Oxygen-Free Inner Bore Free from Cuprous Oxide
The oxygen-free composition ensures the inner bore surface remains free from cuprous oxide that could contaminate sensitive process streams, degrade vacuum integrity, or compromise joints produced by diffusion bonding or electron beam welding — critical in cryogenic cooling loops and vacuum-sealed coolant paths where bore cleanliness directly affects system performance.
Ductility for Tight-Radius Bending & Swaging
Ductility in the annealed condition allows tight-radius bending and swaging without cracking, supporting the compact coil geometries common in cryostat plumbing and thermal strap fabrication where tube routing must conform to the constrained geometry of cryogenic and vacuum apparatus.
Compatible with Diffusion Bonding & Electron Beam Welding
OFHC Copper Tube's compatibility with diffusion bonding and electron beam welding supports reliable assembly of vacuum-sealed and cryogenic fluid circuits where joint quality and freedom from contamination at weld interfaces are as critical as the tube material's bulk conductivity and vacuum compatibility.
Industrial Applications
OFHC Copper Tube is used across cryogenics, particle physics, high-power RF, and vacuum research wherever a conductive, vacuum-compatible, oxygen-free fluid conduit is an engineering requirement:
- ✦ Cryomodule Cooling Channels
- Used as cryomodule cooling channels in particle accelerators and superconducting systems, where thermal conductivity of 401 W/m·K, freedom from hydrogen embrittlement, and a clean oxygen-free inner bore support reliable cryogenic fluid flow and thermal performance under the sustained operating conditions of accelerator cryomodules.
- ✦ Superconducting Buswork Conduits & Vacuum-Sealed Coolant Paths
- Employed as superconducting buswork conduits and vacuum-sealed coolant paths in particle accelerators, where the combination of maximum conductivity, oxygen-free inner bore cleanliness, and compatibility with diffusion bonding and electron beam welding ensures joint integrity and vacuum compatibility in assembled coolant circuits.
- ✦ High-Power RF Thermal Management
- Applied in high-power RF thermal management assemblies where thermal conductivity of 401 W/m·K in a tube geometry allows cooling fluid to be routed directly through thermally active RF components — removing heat efficiently from cavity walls and waveguide structures under sustained high-power operation.
- ✦ Precision Fluid Lines in Laboratory Cryostats & Dilution Refrigerators
- Used as precision fluid lines in laboratory cryostats and dilution refrigerators, where ductility in the annealed condition allows tight-radius bending to conform to constrained cryostat geometries and the oxygen-free composition ensures bore cleanliness in the ultra-pure fluid circuits of dilution refrigerator systems.
- ✦ Ultra-High Vacuum Thermal Testing & Prototype Cryostat Plumbing
- Used in ultra-high vacuum thermal testing rigs and prototype cryostat plumbing in research, where a conductive, vacuum-compatible, oxygen-free fluid conduit with low outgassing and compatibility with precision cleaning provides the engineering reliability required in experimental apparatus where both thermal performance and vacuum integrity are critical.
Tolerances
| Outside Diameter | =<2mm | ±0.05mm |
|---|---|---|
| Outside Diameter | 2mm - 5mm | ±0.1mm |
| Outside Diameter | >5mm | ±5% |
| Wall Thickness | ±10% | |
| Length | <100mm | ±1mm |
| Length | >=100mm | +5% / -1% |