Generally, the major portion of the matrix is copper with about 5-15% low melting metal such as tin; 5-25% lubricant which may be lead, litharge, graphite, or galena; up to 20% friction material such as silica, alumina, magnetite, silicon carbide or aluminum silicide; and up to 10% wear-resistant materials such as cast iron grit or shot. All components of this product are listed in the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency Toxic Substances Control Act Chemical substance Inventory. The conditions of restrictions according to Article 67 and Annex XVII of the Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 (REACH) for the manufacturing, placing on the market and use must be observed.

Properly operating chemical fume hood designed for hazardous chemicals and having an average face velocity of at least 100 feet per minute. Suitability of gloves should be determined both by material and quality, the latter of which may vary by manufacturer. Different copper powders vary based on the production method, purity, particle size, particle shape, apparent density, conductivity, color and flow rate. The powder thus obtained, which was the product of thermal decomposition, showed a brown color, had an oxygen content of about 3%, and consisted of uniform nearly spherical primary particles having an average particle diameter of about 0,3 μm. The agglomerate particle diameter of the powder was measured (on average) after the powder was dispersed in water by the treatment with a mixer, and found to be about 15 μm. The anhydrous copper formate crystals obtained above were subjected to thermal decomposition in the same manner as in Example 2 and then cooled to room temperature.

The Registry of Toxic Effects of Chemical Substances (RTECS) contains acute toxicity data for components in this product. Source: A.K.S. Rowley, E.C.C. Wasser and M.J. Nash, "The Effect of Some Variables on the Structure and Mechanical Properties of Sintered Bronze," Powder Met. Int. 4(2):71 (1971).

Copper-lead alloys containing about 30% lead are stronger but have less satisfactory surface properties and are usually used with a thin lead-tin overlay. Hirschhorn, Introduction to Powder Metallurgy. New York, American Powder Metallurgy Institute, 1969. As an alternative to an oil bottle or ball bearing in medium to heavy duty applications. In these applications, facilities for relubrication must be supplied. 3 Copper and copper alloy powders have been used in industrial applications for many years. Probably the best known is the self-lubricating bearing which was the first major application and still accounts for about 70% of the granular copper powder used. This application takes advantage of the ability to produce a component with controlled interconnected and surface-connected porosity. The production of metallic filters also takes advantage of this ability.Copper-base friction materials perform best under wet conditions. They are also suitable for dry friction applications under relatively mild operating conditions with moderate loads, speeds and temperatures. A method as claimed in claim 1 for producing a purified fine copper powder which comprises washing the fine copper powder obtained by the method claimed in claim 1 with water, an organic solvent or a solution of a rust inhibitor for copper in water or in an organic Solvent so as to reduce in said powder at least one impurity element selected from the group consisting of halogens, sulfur, alkali metals and heavy metals. Since copper carbonate, copper hydroxide and copper oxide, which are industrially obtained from cheaper copper salts or waste copper, are all practically insoluble in water, it can easily be achieved that the copper compounds obtained have a reduced content of such impurities as described above, by the copper compounds before Drying be washed or subjected to a different treatment. For example, in the case where copper sulfate is reacted with sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate to produce copper carbonate, the impurity elements attributable to the starting compounds, such as Na and S, in the copper carbonate can be reduced by a process which involves adding sodium carbonate or sodium bicarbonate to one another aqueous copper sulfate solution, allowing the reactant to react at a temperature of from 60 to 85 ° C to form a precipitate, and then washing the precipitate with water without drying it.