Grade VDC Steel vs. ASTM B540 Palladium

Grade VDC steel belongs to the iron alloys classification, while ASTM B540 palladium belongs to the otherwise unclassified metals. There are 17 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (16, in this case) are not shown.

For each property being compared, the top bar is grade VDC steel and the bottom bar is ASTM B540 palladium.

Grade VDC Spring Steel ASTM B540 Palladium Electrical Contact Alloy

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa		190
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa		110

Poisson's Ratio		0.29
Poisson's Ratio		0.38

Shear Modulus, GPa		80
Shear Modulus, GPa		39

Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		1700
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		830 to 1240

Thermal Properties

Latent Heat of Fusion, J/g		250
Latent Heat of Fusion, J/g		140

Melting Completion (Liquidus), °C		1450
Melting Completion (Liquidus), °C		1220

Melting Onset (Solidus), °C		1410
Melting Onset (Solidus), °C		1020

Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		470
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		240

Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		13
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		14

Electrical Properties

Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume, % IACS		7.1
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Volume, % IACS		4.9 to 5.5

Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific), % IACS		8.1
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific), % IACS		3.5 to 3.9

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Density, g/cm³		7.8
Density, g/cm³		13

Common Calculations

Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points		13
Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points		4.7

Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points		24
Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points		12

Strength to Weight: Axial, points		60
Strength to Weight: Axial, points		18 to 27

Strength to Weight: Bending, points		40
Strength to Weight: Bending, points		15 to 20

Thermal Shock Resistance, points		50
Thermal Shock Resistance, points		41 to 61

Alloy Composition

Carbon (C), %		0.6 to 0.75
Carbon (C), %		0

Chromium (Cr), %		0 to 0.3
Chromium (Cr), %		0

Copper (Cu), %		0 to 0.060
Copper (Cu), %		13.5 to 14.5

Gold (Au), %		0
Gold (Au), %		9.5 to 10.5

Iron (Fe), %		98.3 to 99.35
Iron (Fe), %		0

Manganese (Mn), %		0.5 to 1.0
Manganese (Mn), %		0

Palladium (Pd), %		0
Palladium (Pd), %		34 to 36

Phosphorus (P), %		0 to 0.020
Phosphorus (P), %		0

Platinum (Pt), %		0
Platinum (Pt), %		9.5 to 10.5

Silicon (Si), %		0.15 to 0.3
Silicon (Si), %		0

Silver (Ag), %		0
Silver (Ag), %		29 to 31

Sulfur (S), %		0 to 0.020
Sulfur (S), %		0

Zinc (Zn), %		0
Zinc (Zn), %		0.8 to 1.2

Residuals, %		0
Residuals, %		0 to 0.3