What Is the Difference Between Copper-Clad and Copper-Bonded Steel?
When discussing the components in an electrical grounding system, we often hear the terms “copper-clad steel” and “copper-bonded steel” used interchangeably.Though it may seem inconsequential, each term represents a different copper plating process, in which the copper is composite on the steel core. In this post, we consider the question, what is the difference between copper-clad and copper-bonded steel? What Do Copper-Bonded and Copper-Clad Steel Have In Common? The reason the two terms are often used interchangeably is because, on a basic level, they appear the same. Both consist of a steel core and copper exterior. For use in grounding, both products possess the high tensile strength of steel coupled with the corrosion resistance of copper. Compared to pure copper, the conductivity of these bi-metallic conductors is lower. To match the current carrying capability of copper, the diameter and copper thickness of bi-metallic conductors are increased. Depending on a conductor’s speci