Resistivity and Tensile Strength of Al–Mg–Si Alloy Wire Conductors

ABSTRACT Aluminium alloy is potentially used for power transmission lines due to its light weight and high strength. The aluminium alloy wire conductors with different Mg and Si contents were studied through electrical resistivity and mechanical properties. The effects of heat treatment temperature and time on the alloy wire conductors were also discussed. The experimental results show that increasing the Mg and Si content significantly enhances the tensile strength and elongation, but it also causes an increase in the electrical resistivity to some extent. Appropriate treatment temperature (e.g., 160°C) makes the alloy wire conductor have good electrical and mechanical properties. The treatment time only has a significant influence on the elongation, and the best treatment time is 6 h for the alloy wire conductor. This study lays a foundation for the application of the Al–Mg–Si alloy conductor in transmission lines.