Reactor Grade Zirconium vs. S41045 Stainless Steel

Reactor grade zirconium belongs to the otherwise unclassified metals classification, while S41045 stainless steel belongs to the iron alloys. There are 20 material properties with values for both materials. Properties with values for just one material (14, in this case) are not shown.

For each property being compared, the top bar is reactor grade zirconium and the bottom bar is S41045 stainless steel.

Reactor Grade (R60001) Zirconium UNS S41045 Stainless 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, %		25

Poisson's Ratio		0.34
Poisson's Ratio		0.28

Shear Modulus, GPa		37
Shear Modulus, GPa		76

Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		330
Tensile Strength: Ultimate (UTS), MPa		430

Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof), MPa		160
Tensile Strength: Yield (Proof), MPa		230

Thermal Properties

Latent Heat of Fusion, J/g		250
Latent Heat of Fusion, J/g		270

Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		270
Specific Heat Capacity, J/kg-K		480

Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		22
Thermal Conductivity, W/m-K		29

Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		5.9
Thermal Expansion, µm/m-K		10

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

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

Embodied Water, L/kg		280
Embodied Water, L/kg		100

Common Calculations

Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work), MJ/m³		56
Resilience: Ultimate (Unit Rupture Work), MJ/m³		92

Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience), kJ/m³		130
Resilience: Unit (Modulus of Resilience), kJ/m³		140

Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points		8.4
Stiffness to Weight: Axial, points		14

Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points		24
Stiffness to Weight: Bending, points		25

Strength to Weight: Axial, points		14
Strength to Weight: Axial, points		16

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

Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		13
Thermal Diffusivity, mm²/s		7.8

Thermal Shock Resistance, points		41
Thermal Shock Resistance, points		16

Alloy Composition

Carbon (C), %		0
Carbon (C), %		0 to 0.030

Chromium (Cr), %		0
Chromium (Cr), %		12 to 13

Iron (Fe), %		0
Iron (Fe), %		83.8 to 88

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

Nickel (Ni), %		0
Nickel (Ni), %		0 to 0.5

Niobium (Nb), %		0
Niobium (Nb), %		0 to 0.6

Nitrogen (N), %		0
Nitrogen (N), %		0 to 0.030

Phosphorus (P), %		0
Phosphorus (P), %		0 to 0.040

Silicon (Si), %		0
Silicon (Si), %		0 to 1.0

Sulfur (S), %		0
Sulfur (S), %		0 to 0.030

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

Residuals, %		0 to 0.27
Residuals, %		0