LS Cable & System develops flexible, stronger aluminum alloy 

LS Cable & System Ltd., together with its aluminum materials affiliate LS Alsco, has developed a new aluminum alloy that can replace copper wire.

The company said on Thursday its new high-strength aluminum material has received a unique alloy number AA8031 from the American Aluminum Association.

The AA8031 overcame the shortcomings of conventional aluminum, such as inflexibility and vulnerability.

It is more flexible and more than 40% stronger than existing aluminum products.

It has also improved the disadvantage of deteriorating conductivity, a phenomenon that occurs when increasing aluminum strength.

As it is lighter than copper, the new aluminum alloy is expected to gradually substitute copper in such industries as carmaking which constantly looks to reduce the car's weight.

Replacement of an automobile wire from copper to aluminum will reduce the entire wire weight by 40%, leading to better fuel efficiency.

LS Cable & System and LS Alsco plan to supply the new aluminum materials to electric vehicles and wind power generators.

Write to Seo-Woo Jang at suwu@hankyung.com