S41045 Stainless Steel vs. Reactor Grade Zirconium

S41045 stainless steel belongs to the iron alloys classification, while reactor grade zirconium belongs to the otherwise unclassified metals. 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 S41045 stainless steel and the bottom bar is reactor grade zirconium.

UNS S41045 Stainless Steel Reactor Grade (R60001) Zirconium

Metric UnitsUS Customary Units

Mechanical Properties

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

Elongation at Break, %		25
Elongation at Break, %		21

Poisson's Ratio		0.28
Poisson's Ratio		0.34

Shear Modulus, GPa		76
Shear Modulus, GPa		37

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

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

Thermal Properties

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

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

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

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

Otherwise Unclassified Properties

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

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

Common Calculations

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Alloy Composition

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

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

Residuals, %		0
Residuals, %		0 to 0.27