ALUMINUM The fourth best conductor of electricity (behind silver, gold, and copper), California Fine Wire’s aluminum wire is used in many applications such as implanted cardiac devices, drift chambers, and semiconductor interconnects. The largest single use of aluminum wire and rod is for high power transmission lines. Aluminum is only about 1/3 as heavy as copper but has about 60% of its electrical conductivity. Aluminum is alloyed with other elements to improve specific properties such as strength or elasticity. California Fine Wire supplies aluminum alloyed with elements such as silicon, manganese, chromium, zinc, magnesium, and copper. Aluminum 1% Silicon wire is used extensively for semiconductor bonding wire. We can coat our aluminum with copper, gold, nickel, silver, or tin using an electroplating process. With its high ductility, low electrical resistance, light weight, and excellent resistance to corrosion, aluminum wire is well suited to many applications. Three additional characteristics of aluminum are that it is non­toxic, non­sparking, and non­magnetic. California Fine Wire can draw aluminum alloys to diameters as small as 0.0005” and can supply the wire in various configurations, such as flat wire or stranded, and we can insulate your wire with various enamel materials or PTFE. Whether you require ribbon or round in either high purity aluminum, or alloyed with another metal, call on California Fine Wire to handle your aluminum wire needs.