Precious Metal 60Pd-40Ag
A palladium-silver alloy that trades some cost for lower silver-sulfide susceptibility, used for low-to-medium current relay and switch contacts where corrosion resistance matters more than raw conductivity.
Reference datasheet — 60Pd-40Ag is not in the instant-quote catalog. Upload your part and an engineer will quote it in this grade or suggest the closest stocked equivalent.
Values for the Annealed condition
60Pd-40Ag tempers and conditions
60Pd-40Ag is supplied in 6 conditions, soft to hard. Annealed is the default FabDigit quotes; the values on this page are for it.
Compare all 6 conditionsHide
| Condition · open for datasheet | Best for | Yield MPa | Tensile MPa | Elong. % | Hardness | Conductivity |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
AnnealedDefault fully softened strip/wire | Choose for deep drawing, rivet heading and cladding where maximum ductility is needed; contact face work-hardens in service. | 180 | 400 | 30 | 85 HV | 4.1 % IACS |
1/8 Hard | Pick when annealed material is too soft to handle in progressive dies but severe forming is still required. | 320 | 470 | 18 | 110 HV | 4.1 % IACS |
Quarter hard | Balanced temper for stamped contact blanks that still need moderate bending. | 400 | 520 | 12 | 125 HV | 4 % IACS |
Half hard | Standard temper for flat spring contacts and blades needing stiffness with limited forming. | 540 | 620 | 6 | 150 HV | 4 % IACS |
Full hard | Use for high-hardness sliding contacts, wipers and brushes where wear resistance dominates. | 700 | 750 | 2.5 | 180 HV | 3.9 % IACS |
Spring hard | Highest strength and elastic limit; for self-loading spring contacts, connector fingers and fine spring wire, with essentially no bend formability. | 760 | 810 | 1.5 | 195 HV | 3.9 % IACS |
What is 60Pd-40Ag?
A palladium-silver alloy that trades some cost for lower silver-sulfide susceptibility, used for low-to-medium current relay and switch contacts where corrosion resistance matters more than raw conductivity. 60Pd-40Ag has a density of 11.36 g/cm³ (0.41 lb/in³), heavier than 61% of precious metal grades. It melts at 1,290°C (2,354 °F). 60Pd-40Ag has a yield strength of 180 MPa (26.1 ksi) and a tensile strength of 400 MPa (58 ksi) — weaker than 59% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 30% and the elastic modulus is 115 GPa (16.7 Msi).
What is 60Pd-40Ag used for?
- telecom relay contacts
- low-current control switches
- instrument relays
Advantages
- Readily welded — 78/100, better than 84% of precious metal grades
- High service temperature — 500°C (932 °F), better than 79% of precious metal grades
- Stiff — 115 GPa (16.7 Msi), better than 77% of precious metal grades
Limitations
- Low electrical conductivity — 4.1 % IACS, worse than 99% of precious metal grades
- Poor heat conductor — 22 W/m·K (12.7 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 98% of precious metal grades
- Difficult to machine — 32/100, worse than 80% of precious metal grades
60Pd-40Ag properties
Typical room-temperature values for 60Pd-40Ag-Annealed; bars are the position among precious metal grades.
Physical3
60Pd-40Ag has a density of 11.36 g/cm³ (0.41 lb/in³), heavier than 61% of precious metal grades. It melts at 1,290°C (2,354 °F).
Mechanical12
60Pd-40Ag has a yield strength of 180 MPa (26.1 ksi) and a tensile strength of 400 MPa (58 ksi) — weaker than 59% of precious metal grades. Elongation at break is 30% and the elastic modulus is 115 GPa (16.7 Msi).
Thermal6
60Pd-40Ag is rated for continuous service to 500°C (932 °F). It conducts heat at 22 W/m·K (12.7 BTU/hr·ft·°F), worse than 98% of precious metal grades. Thermal expansion is 14.5 µm/m·K (8.06 µin/in·°F).
Electrical3
60Pd-40Ag conducts electricity at 4.1 % IACS, worse than 99% of precious metal grades.
Chemical & Environmental3
Corrosion resistance is excellent (92/100), better than 73% of precious metal grades.
Sustainability4
Producing a kilogram of 60Pd-40Ag takes about 44,000 MJ of energy and emits 2,400 kg of CO₂ — more than 61% of precious metal grades. Typical recycled content is 60%.
Manufacturability8
60Pd-40Ag's machinability is poor (32/100, worse than 80% of precious metal grades); weldability very good (78/100); formability excellent (90/100).
Common Calculations5
Values are nominal handbook figures for design screening. Certified mill or lot data ships with every FabDigit order on request.
Strength versus weight in the precious metal family
Yield strength against density for every precious metal grade FabDigit runs. 60Pd-40Ag is highlighted; hover a dot for its name, or open the interactive family chart.
Working with 60Pd-40Ag
Is 60Pd-40Ag easy to machine?
Soft and gummy in the annealed state — use sharp, highly polished carbide tools, high speed, light feed and continuous chip control; collect all swarf for refining.
Can 60Pd-40Ag be welded?
Readily resistance- and laser-welded to spring bases (Cu alloys, Ni, steel); commonly supplied as clad or brazed contact tips rather than fusion-welded structures.
Can 60Pd-40Ag be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability when annealed (deep drawing, rivet heading, fine wire drawing); intermediate anneals near 700–850 °C in clean or slightly reducing atmosphere restore ductility.
60Pd-40Ag chemical composition (wt %)
Limits by weight percent from the governing specification, written the way the spec states them — a single maximum for impurities, a range for alloying elements, and the base element as balance. Nominal is the typical mid-range value.
| Element | Spec limit (wt %) | Nominal |
|---|---|---|
| Pdpalladium content per contact-alloy trade spec | 59.5 – 60.5 | 60 |
| Curesidual | ≤ 0.05 | |
| Feresidual | ≤ 0.03 | |
| Pbresidual | ≤ 0.01 | |
| Other (total)total impurities | ≤ 0.15 | |
| Agbalance silver | ≥ 39.5 (balance) |
What surface finishes work on 60Pd-40Ag?
Not anodizable; polished to a bright noble surface or given a thin gold/rhodium flash for lowest and most stable contact resistance.
How much does 60Pd-40Ag cost?
60Pd-40Ag is a high-cost precious metal ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
60Pd-40Ag — frequently asked
What is 60Pd-40Ag used for?
60Pd-40Ag is typically used for telecom relay contacts, low-current control switches and instrument relays. In short: tarnish-resistant contact alloy; stable low-current resistance; low conductivity, high cost.
What is the yield strength of 60Pd-40Ag?
60Pd-40Ag has a typical yield strength of 180 MPa (26.1 ksi) and a tensile strength of 400 MPa (58 ksi) — weaker than 59% of precious metal grades. Strength varies by condition: see the 6 listed tempers.
Is 60Pd-40Ag easy to machine?
Not especially — machinability is rated poor (32/100, worse than 80% of precious metal grades). Soft and gummy in the annealed state — use sharp, highly polished carbide tools, high speed, light feed and continuous chip control; collect all swarf for refining.
Can 60Pd-40Ag be welded?
Yes — weldability is rated very good (78/100). Readily resistance- and laser-welded to spring bases (Cu alloys, Ni, steel); commonly supplied as clad or brazed contact tips rather than fusion-welded structures.
What surface finishes work on 60Pd-40Ag?
Not anodizable; polished to a bright noble surface or given a thin gold/rhodium flash for lowest and most stable contact resistance.
Can 60Pd-40Ag be formed, bent or molded?
Excellent cold formability when annealed (deep drawing, rivet heading, fine wire drawing); intermediate anneals near 700–850 °C in clean or slightly reducing atmosphere restore ductility.
What is the maximum service temperature of 60Pd-40Ag?
60Pd-40Ag is rated for continuous use to about 500°C (932 °F). Strength falls off well before that limit — check the elevated-temperature data for load-bearing parts.
What is the difference between 60Pd-40Ag Annealed and 60Pd-40Ag Spring?
Annealed is the default condition — choose for deep drawing, rivet heading and cladding where maximum ductility is needed; contact face work-hardens in service. Spring: highest strength and elastic limit; for self-loading spring contacts, connector fingers and fine spring wire, with essentially no bend formability. Yield strength is 180 MPa in Annealed versus 760 MPa in Spring.
How much does 60Pd-40Ag cost?
60Pd-40Ag is a high-cost precious metal ($$$$), pricier than about 78% of the materials FabDigit quotes. Part price depends far more on geometry, tolerance and quantity than on the raw stock — upload a CAD file for a live quote.
Sources
- ASM Handbook Vol. 2: Properties and Selection — Nonferrous Alloys and Special-Purpose Materials (precious metals & electrical contacts) — ASM International (1990)
- ASM Handbook Vol. 3: Alloy Phase Diagrams (Ag-Pd system) — ASM International (1992)
- Palladium-silver electrical contact alloy strip and wire data — Precious-metal contact fabricators (Deringer-Ney / Heraeus type data) (2022)
- Life-cycle inventories of metals (CED and GWP for Pd and Ag) — Nuss & Eckelman, PLoS ONE (2014)
Property data is compiled from published supplier and standards handbooks and normalised for comparison; hardness values on non-Brinell scales are converted approximately for charting only. Manufacturability limits are FabDigit quote-engine defaults and may be relaxed by engineering review. Nothing on this page is a certification — request mill certs, CoC or material test reports with your order.