Conducting materials are those materials which provide minimum resistance or hindrance to the flow of electric current through them. The properties of conducting materials are very important in their different applications in electrical and electronic systems.

Electrical Properties:

High Conductivity: The resistance offered by the material to the flow of an electric current is low.

Low Resistivity: Resistivity is a material's characteristic that denotes its opposition to current flow; it is the inverse of conductivity. Conductors have low resistivity.

Free Electrons: The presence of free electrons is not tightly bound to the nucleus, allowing for the flow of electric charge.

Zero Electric Field Inside: The electric field inside a conductor in static conditions is zero.

Electric Potential: Every point in a conductor is at the same potential.

Charge Distribution: Charges get distributed uniformly on the surface of the conductor. Conducting materials are those materials which provide minimum resistance or hindrance to the flow of electric current through them. The properties of conducting materials are very important in their different applications in electrical and electronic systems.

Factors Effecting Conductivity:

Temperature: The conductivity of most conductors decreases with rise in temperature.

Impurities: Impurities may decrease the conductivity due to resistance to the flow of free electrons.

Material Composition: Conductivity varies depending on changes in atomic structure and electron configuration.

Mechanical Properties:

Ductility: Ability to be drawn into wires without breaking. This is very important in making electrical conductors of different gauge.

Malleability: A property of the material whereby it can be deformed under compression without rupturing. This property is highly crucial when it comes to the production of foils or sheets for use in electrical applications.

Tensile strength: The resistance of a material to breaking under tension. It is very important for applications in overhead power lines and in any other application that carries large pulling forces.

Yield Strength: The level of stress at which the material experiences plastic deformation. It is the degree of stress at which a conductor will deform without a permanent change in the material upon removal of the load.

Hardness: A resistance of a material to indentation or scratching. In some cases, for example within metal alloys, hardness can be used to describe the conductor's toughness and ability of the material to withstand wear.

Toughness: The ability of a material to absorb and plastically deform under high-strain energy before fracturing (for more clarity: before loading energy increases it very high. This can be an important property for conductors subjected to impact loads or vibrations.

Fatigue strength: It is the capability of a material to withhold fracture, or failure, under cycles of loading and unloading. This is quite important for conductors that are subjected to cyclic stresses. Density: The mass per unit volume of a material determines the line weight for overhead applications and toted mass in portable applications.

Mechanical Properties Influencing Factors :

Impurities: the presence of impurities brings an enormous variation in the mechanical properties of a conducting material.

Alloys: It is also possible to vary mechanical properties by combining two or more materials into an alloy structure.

Manufacturing Processes: The methods through which copper or other conductors are produced, include cold working or annealing, and these can influence their mechanical properties.

Economical Properties:

Cost: The major factor here would be the cost of raw material. It involves extraction, refining, and the cost of processing.

Supply: The higher the supply, the lower the cost; abundant materials are generally less expensive. High Value in Recycling: High recycling value materials reduce cost and degradation of the environment.

Processing Costs: complexity in the shape to be given and processing to be done with the material.

Long-term Costs: Drivers of economic viability include maintenance, replacement, and energy consumption over the life cycle.