Copper plating is electrolytic plating that deposits a layer of copper onto the substrate. This common application is used in the oil and gas industry to prevent galling during make-and-break operations.

The copper most commonly used for sheet and strip applications complies with ASTM B370. It consists of 99.9 percent copper, and is available in six tempers designated by ASTM B370 as: 060 (soft), H00 (cold rolled), H01 (cold rolled, high yield), H02 (half hard), H03 (three quarter hard), and H04 (hard).

Certified oxygen-free high-conductivity copper (Electronic Grade, UNS C10100) contains a minimum of 99.99% Cu, making it the purest metal in common use.

Copper grades are divided into six families: coppers, dilute copper alloys, brasses, bronzes, copper-nickel alloys, and nickel-silver alloys. The first family, the coppers, is essentially commercially pure copper, which normally is soft and ductile and contains less than about 0.7% total impurities