Copper was the first metals used by mankind and bronze (copper and tin-based) and brass (copper and zinc-based) have been in use since thousands of years ago. Like in the distant past, copper is widespread in modern civilization with applications as varied as in wires and cables, jewelry, radiators and pipings, roofing, tooth filling, screws and nails and computer boards. Modern science and engineering can fashion various materials in desired nanostructures with new properties and it is timely to design and explore nanostructured copper.

We have developed a method for creating scratch-resistant nanocrystalline layers on near eutectic alloys containing 90% copper by copper-mould casting. Some of our alloys have yield strengths in excess of 1.8 GPa making them mechanically more resistant than many stainless steels but with a range of colors. Depending on elemental additions, the colors can vary from copper-like to gold-like.

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