Reactor Grade Zirconium vs. SAE-AISI 4140 Steel

Reactor grade zirconium belongs to the otherwise unclassified metals classification, while SAE-AISI 4140 steel belongs to the iron alloys. There are 20 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (11, in this case) are not shown.

For each property being compared, the top bar is reactor grade zirconium and the bottom bar is SAE-AISI 4140 steel.

Reactor Grade (R60001) Zirconium SAE-AISI 4140 (SCM440, G41400) Cr-Mo Steel

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa		98
Elastic (Young's, Tensile) Modulus, GPa		190

Elongation at Break, %		21
Elongation at Break, %		11 to 26

Poisson's Ratio		0.34
Poisson's Ratio		0.29

Shear Modulus, GPa		37
Shear Modulus, GPa		73

Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		330
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		690 to 1080

Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof), MPa		160
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof), MPa		590 to 990

Thermal Properties

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

Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		270
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		470

Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		22
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		43

Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		5.9
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		13

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

Density, g/cm³		6.5
Density, g/cm³		7.8

Embodied Water, L/kg		280
Embodied Water, L/kg		51

Common Calculations

Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work), MJ/m³		56
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work), MJ/m³		74 to 180

Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience), kJ/m³		130
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience), kJ/m³		920 to 2590

Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points		8.4
Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points		13

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

Strength to Weight: Axial, points		14
Strength to Weight: Axial, points		25 to 38

Strength to Weight: Bending, points		16
Strength to Weight: Bending, points		22 to 30

Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		13
Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		12

Thermal Shock Resistance, points		41
Thermal Shock Resistance, points		20 to 32

Alloy Composition

Carbon (C), %		0
Carbon (C), %		0.38 to 0.43

Chromium (Cr), %		0
Chromium (Cr), %		0.8 to 1.1

Iron (Fe), %		0
Iron (Fe), %		96.8 to 97.8

Manganese (Mn), %		0
Manganese (Mn), %		0.75 to 1.0

Molybdenum (Mo), %		0
Molybdenum (Mo), %		0.15 to 0.25

Phosphorus (P), %		0
Phosphorus (P), %		0 to 0.035

Silicon (Si), %		0
Silicon (Si), %		0.15 to 0.35

Sulfur (S), %		0
Sulfur (S), %		0 to 0.040

Zirconium (Zr), %		99.7 to 100
Zirconium (Zr), %		0

Residuals, %		0 to 0.27
Residuals, %		0