Metal conductors - User guide

ith their alloys, copper and aluminum share virtually the entire market for metals for conductors. The substitution of copper by aluminum is almost complete, and the telecommunications phase has finally resulted in a clear advantage for fiber optics. Certain sectors, such as the automotive industry, are still reluctant to declare their preference for aluminum. Referring to the excellent summary [4] published in 1978, we note that in a quarter of a century :

• the share of electroplated metals has fallen sharply;

• bimetallics, essentially aluminum-coated steel, have made real breakthroughs, both technically and economically ( Conklad, OPGW) ;

• in the field of energy distribution and transmission, operators, who are usually cautious and faithful to tried-and-tested solutions, are nonetheless watching with interest the gradual development of original solutions enabling temporary gains in transit capacity (alloys operating at high temperatures, composites).

As for superconductors, it is difficult today to predict what stage of development they will be at in ten years' time. But let's not forget fiber optics, which twenty years ago was still at the R&D stage.