Reactor Grade Zirconium vs. SAE-AISI 4150 Steel

Reactor grade zirconium belongs to the otherwise unclassified metals classification, while SAE-AISI 4150 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 4150 steel.

Reactor Grade (R60001) Zirconium SAE-AISI 4150 (G41500) 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, %		12 to 20

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		660 to 1310

Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof), MPa		160
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof), MPa		380 to 1220

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		42

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		82 to 180

Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience), kJ/m³		130
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience), kJ/m³		380 to 3930

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		24 to 47

Strength to Weight: Bending, points		16
Strength to Weight: Bending, points		22 to 34

Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		13
Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		11

Thermal Shock Resistance, points		41
Thermal Shock Resistance, points		19 to 39

Alloy Composition

Carbon (C), %		0
Carbon (C), %		0.48 to 0.53

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

Iron (Fe), %		0
Iron (Fe), %		96.7 to 97.7

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