Grade VDC Steel vs. ASTM B685 Alloy

Grade VDC steel belongs to the iron alloys classification, while ASTM B685 alloy belongs to the otherwise unclassified metals. There are 17 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (9, in this case) are not shown.

For each property being compared, the top bar is grade VDC steel and the bottom bar is ASTM B685 alloy.

Grade VDC Spring Steel ASTM B685 Palladium-Copper Electrical Contact Alloy

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa		190
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa		120

Poisson's Ratio		0.29
Poisson's Ratio		0.37

Shear Modulus, GPa		80
Shear Modulus, GPa		43

Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		1700
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		660 to 1060

Thermal Properties

Latent Heat of Fusion, J/g		250
Latent Heat of Fusion, J/g		180

Melting Completion (Liquidus), °C		1450
Melting Completion (Liquidus), °C		1230

Melting Onset (Solidus), °C		1410
Melting Onset (Solidus), °C		1200

Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		470
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		300

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		5.0

Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific), % IACS		8.1
Electrical Conductivity: Equal Weight (Specific), % IACS		4.1

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Density, g/cm³		7.8
Density, g/cm³		11

Common Calculations

Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points		13
Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points		6.1

Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points		24
Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points		15

Strength to Weight: Axial, points		60
Strength to Weight: Axial, points		17 to 27

Strength to Weight: Bending, points		40
Strength to Weight: Bending, points		16 to 21

Thermal Shock Resistance, points		50
Thermal Shock Resistance, points		28 to 46

Alloy Composition

Aluminum (Al), %		0
Aluminum (Al), %		0 to 0.0050

Cadmium (Cd), %		0
Cadmium (Cd), %		0 to 0.050

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), %		39.5 to 40.5

Iron (Fe), %		98.3 to 99.35
Iron (Fe), %		0 to 0.050

Lead (Pb), %		0
Lead (Pb), %		0 to 0.030

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

Palladium (Pd), %		0
Palladium (Pd), %		59 to 60.5

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

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

Silver (Ag), %		0
Silver (Ag), %		0 to 0.1

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

Zinc (Zn), %		0
Zinc (Zn), %		0 to 0.060

Residuals, %		0
Residuals, %		0 to 0.2