Metals and alloys

What this is

Aluminium, titanium, steels, nickel superalloys and other metals used for structure, tanks and mechanisms.

Metals carry the loads. What matters is strength for the mass, how they behave at cryogenic and high temperatures, and whether surfaces weld or gall in vacuum.

Collections

Grades of one kind compared side by side.

• Alkali and alkaline earth metals: Sodium, potassium, caesium, calcium and barium metals: density, melting point and reactivity data with sources.
• Aluminium alloys: Aluminium alloys (6061, 7075, 2024, 5052, 2195): strength by temper, composition and corrosion data with sources.
• Carbon and alloy steels: Carbon and alloy steels (A36, 1018, 1215, 4140): strength by condition, composition and corrosion data with sources.
• Cast irons: Cast irons (gray iron, ductile iron): strength by class and grade, density and stiffness with sources.
• Cobalt and cobalt-base alloys: Cobalt and cobalt-base alloys (cobalt, L-605, CoCrMo, Havar, Phynox): strength, wear and corrosion data with sources.
• Copper alloys: Copper, brass and bronze: strength by temper, composition and corrosion data with sources.
• Low-melting metals and solders: Low-melting metals and solders (tin, lead, bismuth, indium, cadmium, antimony, SAC305, tin-lead, Wood's metal, galinstan, babbitt): melting range, density and strength with sources.
• Magnesium alloys: Magnesium alloys (AZ31B): properties by temper, with sources.
• Magnetic and superconducting alloys: Magnetic and superconducting alloys (NdFeB, SmCo, Alnico, permalloy, mu-metal, electrical steel, metallic glass, Nb-Ti, Nb3Sn): magnetic, electrical and thermal data with sources.
• Nickel alloys: Nickel alloys and superalloys (Inconel 718, 625, Invar 36): strength, temperature limits and corrosion data with sources.
• Precious metals and alloys: Precious metals (gold, silver, platinum, palladium, rhodium, iridium, ruthenium, osmium) and their alloys: density, melting point, resistivity and corrosion data with sources.
• Rare earth metals: Rare earth metals (neodymium, dysprosium, gadolinium, cerium, lanthanum, yttrium, scandium and more): density, melting point and supply data with sources.
• Refractory metals and carbides: Tungsten, tantalum and tungsten carbide: high-temperature and wear data with sources.
• Resistance and thermocouple alloys: Resistance and thermocouple alloys (nichrome, constantan, manganin, Alumel, Chromel, Evanohm, Fecralloy): resistivity, temperature coefficient and temperature limit with sources.
• Stainless steels: Stainless steels compared grade by grade: composition, strength, corrosion resistance and use, with the source and test condition behind every number.
• Titanium alloys: Titanium alloys (grade 2, Ti-6Al-4V): strength, density and corrosion data with sources.
• Tool steels: Tool steels (D2, P20): hardness and strength by heat treatment, with sources.
• Zinc and zinc alloys: Zinc and zinc die-casting alloys: properties by alloy, with sources.

Types

Pick a type to see its materials.

What matters

The measurements we use to compare metals and alloys. Each one has a standard test and a direction: is higher or lower better?

Benchmarks

• Strength of metals: yield and tensile strength compared. Yield strength, tensile strength and density of steels, stainless steels, aluminium, titanium, copper and nickel alloys, ranked from sourced values. Ranges run across temper and heat treatment.
• Melting point of metals and alloys compared. Melting point of steels, stainless steels, aluminium, titanium, copper and nickel alloys from sourced values, with thermal conductivity and density.

Materials