Cu—Ni—Si—Co copper alloy for electronic materials and method for manufacturing same

1. A copper allot for electronic material, containing 1.0 to 2.5 mass % of Ni, 0.5 to 2.5 mass % of Co, and 0.30 to 1.2 mass % of Si,

wherein one or more of the following conditions (a)-(d) are optionally satisfied:

(a) Cr is furthermore contained in a maximum amount of 0.5 mass %;

(b) a single element or two or more elements selected from Mg, Mn, Ag, and P are furthermore contained in total in a maximum amount of 0:5 mass %;

(c) one or two elements selected from Sn and Zn are furthermore contained in total in a maximum amount of 2.0 mass %; and

(d) a single element or two or more elements selected from As, Sb, Be, B, Ti, Zr, Al, and Fe are furthermore contained in total in a maximum amount of 2.0, mass %, the balance being Cu and unavoidable impurities;

wherein the copper alloy satisfies the following conditions in relation to the compositional variation and the surface area ratio of second-phase particles size of 0.1 μm or greater and 1 μm or less when observed in ten arbitrary locations each having an observation field of 30 μm×30 μm in a cross section parallel to a rolling direction:

the median value ρ(mass %) of a [Ni+Co+Si] content satisfies the formula 20 (mass %)≦ρ≦54 (mass %) based on the mass of said second phase particles,

the standard deviation σ(Ni+Co+Si) satisfies the formula 13≦σ(Ni+Co+Si)≦28 (mass %) based on the mass of said second phase particles, and:

the surface area ratio S (%) satisfies the formula 2.0%≦S≦7.1%.

2. The copper alloy for electronic materials of claim 1 , wherein second-phase particles whose size is greater than 10 μm are not present, and second-phase particles size of 5 to 10 μm are present in an amount of 50 per square millimeter or less in a cross section parallel to the rolling direction.

3. The copper alloy for electronic materials of claim 1 or 2 , wherein Cr is furthermore contained in a maximum amount of 0.5 mass %.

4. The copper alloy for electronic materials of claim 1 or 2 , wherein one or more of the following conditions (a)-(d) are satisfied;

(a) Cr is furthermore contained in a maximum amount of 0.5 mass %;

(b) a single element or two or more elements selected from Mg, Mn, Ag, and P are furthermore contained in total in a maximum amount of 0.5 mass %;

(c) one or two elements selected from Sn and Zn are furthermore contained in total in a maximum amount of 2.0 mass %; and

(d) a single element or two or more element selected from As, Sb, Be, B, Ti, Zr, Al, and Fc are furthermore contained in total in a maximum amount of 2.0 mass %.

5. A method for manufacturing the copper alloy according to claim 1 , comprising sequentially performing:

step 1: casting an ingot having a desired-composition;

step 2: heating the ingot for 1 hour or mere at 950° C. to 1050° C., thereafter hot rolling the ingot, setting the temperature to 850° C. or higher when hot rolling is completed, and cooling the ingot at an average cooling rate of 15° C./s or greater from 850° C. to 400° C.;

step 3: cold rolling;

step 4: carrying out a solution treatment at 850° C. to 1050° C., cooling the material at a cooling rate of 5° C./s or greater and less than 12° C./s until the temperature of the material is reduced to 650° C., and cooling the material at an average cooling rate of 15° C./s 18° C./s or greater when the temperature is reduced from 650° C. to 400° C.;

step 5: performing optional cold rolling;

step 6: performing aging; and

step 7: performing optional cold rolling.

6. A copper alloy product comprising the copper alloy of claim 1 .

7. An electronic component comprising the copper alloy of claim 1 .